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A bouncing bow stroke where the bow leaves the string between each note.
Spiccato is the standard technique for fast staccato passages on strings. The bow bounces naturally, producing crisp, light articulation. It works best in the middle of the bow at moderate-to-fast tempi. At very slow tempi, staccato is achieved with stopped bow strokes instead.
Mendelssohn's "Italian" Symphony, finale (Saltarello) — the rapid spiccato strings create breathless energy.
Spiccato is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
Browse the full dictionary →