With feeling

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff, often inside a longer English direction — lively, with feeling and expression — or as an editor’s translation in parentheses beneath a German or Italian heading. It describes manner for the passage until another character marking.

How Composers Use It

It asks for expressive engagement — shaping, warmth and some flexibility of time — the English counterpart of con sentimento, con espressione or mit Empfindung. It is broad, so it works best joined to something more specific: a tempo, a dynamic or a particular quality. On its own over a whole piece it says little that a good performer would not already do.

Example

Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90, first movement, opening: “(Lively, with feeling and expression)”, this edition’s English beneath Beethoven’s heading “Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck”.

Related Terms