Crescendi

Crescendi is the plural form of crescendo, the Italian musical term for a gradual increase in loudness. In musical notation, a crescendo indicates that the performer should steadily raise volume from a softer to a louder dynamic. The usual devices are the Italian word crescendo or the hairpin symbol that opens to the right. When multiple such passages occur in a work, musicologists and editors may refer to them collectively as crescendi or simply as crescendi passages, depending on context. The term derives from crescere, "to grow," and entered English through Italian usage in early music notation.

In practice, crescendi shape tension, momentum, and expression across a phrase or movement. They may lead to a peak dynamic such as f or ff, sometimes giving way to contrasts or accents. The exact target dynamic and the rate of increase are left to the discretion of the composer, conductor, and performers. Composers from the Classical and Romantic eras, including Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler, frequently employ crescendi to build climaxes, while in modern music the device remains a common expressive tool.

For related concepts see dynamic markings and hairpin notation. Crescendi are discussed in music theory and score analysis as a way of describing repeated or extended phases of growing loudness within a piece.