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Gradually slowing down. Abbreviated rall. Essentially synonymous with ritardando.
Rallentando and ritardando are functionally identical in modern practice. Some theorists argue rallentando implies a broader, more gradual slowing while ritardando is more immediate, but this distinction is not consistently observed. Use whichever you prefer, but be consistent.
Chopin frequently writes rall. before returns of the main theme in his Nocturnes, creating a moment of suspension before the melody reappears.
Rallentando is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
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