Sempre più

As Printed on a Score

Printed above or below the staff, usually followed by the word it intensifies — sempre più mosso, sempre più animato, sempre più cresc., sempre più p. Standing alone it continues the last direction given (a preceding accel., poco a poco meno or dim.), so a reader must look back to see what is increasing.

Also spelled: sempre piu

How Composers Use It

A connective that turns any gradual direction into a progressive one: each bar further along the same road. Join it to the word it governs whenever you can; a bare sempre più is clear only when the previous instruction is still close by and unmistakable. It suits long transitions and approaches to a climax, and pairs naturally with poco a poco when the increase should start gently.

Example

Chopin, Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, m. 44: “sempre più mosso”, pressing on through the transition before the music relaxes into “Meno mosso”.

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