Agitato

Agitato is a musical term of Italian origin used as an expressive marking to indicate agitation, urgency, or heightened emotional intensity. It instructs the performer to render the music with a restless, driving character, often with increased energy within the prevailing tempo. As a mood marking, it is not a precise tempo indication but a guide to character, shaping dynamics, articulation, and phrasing in context.

Etymology and meaning: Agitato derives from the Italian agitare, meaning to excite or stir up. The adjective agitato describes something that is agitated or excited. The marking appears in many composers’ scores, particularly from the Romantic era onward, reflecting a demand for passionate or intense delivery.

Usage in notation: Agitato can stand alone or accompany a tempo marking, as in allegro agitato or molto agitato. It is commonly used across instruments, including piano, violin, and other strings, and can appear in vocal music as well. The exact effect depends on the piece, the surrounding tempo, and other markings such as con fuoco, molto mosso, or appassionato. It often signals contrast with calmer or more lyrical sections.

Performance practice: because agitato expresses mood rather than a precise tempo, performers balance energy and clarity. Decisions about dynamics, articulation (staccato, marcato), and occasional rubato are employed to convey agitation while maintaining musical coherence within the work.

See also: con fuoco, molto mosso, appassionato.