Tenerezza

As Printed on a Score

Printed as part of a phrase (“con tenerezza”, “con molta tenerezza”) above the staff, a vocal line or a keyboard part, at the start of a tender passage or inside a tempo heading. It holds until the next character word; Mahler’s edition prints “con molto tenerezza”, where standard Italian would have molta.

How Composers Use It

Con tenerezza asks for tenderness, the noun form of teneramente, with the same intimate, warm tone and gentle shaping. It is often joined to a tempo word or to another character word (con tenerezza ma semplice) to keep the feeling unforced. Use it for lyrical material where warmth should come from the touch rather than from volume or rubato.

Example

Mahler, Kindertotenlieder, “Oft denk’ ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen”, voice, m. 58: “con molto tenerezza”, with the German “sehr zart”, a bar before “a tempo”.

Related Terms