Ritenuto

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff as riten. or ritenuto, often combined — poco riten., più dimin. e riten. — and in force at once until a tempo or a new tempo word. The shared abbreviation rit. is the trap: a reader must decide from context whether the composer meant ritenuto (held back at once) or ritardando (gradually); riten. is unambiguous.

Abbreviations: riten., rit., riten

How Composers Use It

Unlike ritardando (gradual), ritenuto means an immediate reduction in tempo — a sudden gear change. Use it for dramatic pauses in momentum, sudden shifts to gravity, or when a subito piano also needs a tempo drop.

Example

Verdi uses ritenuto in his opera arias at moments of dramatic revelation — the tempo drops suddenly to underscore a character's realization.

Related Terms