Presque

As Printed on a Score

Never a direction on its own: it qualifies the word that follows — presque sans voix, presque retenu — and its scope is that of that word.

How Composers Use It

Like quasi, presque softens a word to “nearly”: presque retenu asks for something close to holding back without quite slowing, presque sans voix for a voice on the edge of silence. It lets you name a degree short of the full effect, which is useful at transitions. Let it modify one clear word; stacked with other qualifiers (un peu, très) it turns vague.

Example

Bizet, Feuilles d’album, “Adieux à Suzon”, voice, m. 101: “presque retenu”, with “dolce” and a sempre p in the same bar.

Related Terms