Riducendo

Riducendo is a musical term of Italian origin used as a performance directive in notation. It denotes a gradual decrease in volume (dynamics) of a passage, often accompanied by a progressively softer tone and, in some cases, a slowing of the tempo. The root verb ridurre means to reduce or diminish, and riducendo is the present participle meaning “reducing” or “diminishing.”

In standard scores it is typically placed above the staff or within the dynamic line as the instruction to gradually fade away. It is closely related to diminuendo or decrescendo, and in many editions may serve as a stylistic synonym, though riducendo can imply a more subtle or more urgent attenuation depending on context and the editor’s interpretation. In practice, composers may employ riducendo to pursue a musical arc that ends in a quiet or unresolved cadence, often in expressive or dramatic passages.

The term appears across periods from Baroque to contemporary music, and is encountered in orchestral, chamber, and vocal scores. It is not a tempo marking in itself; when a tempo change is intended, terms such as ritardando or rallentando are used. In performance, the rate of the fade is interpreted in light of the overall character of the piece.

See also: crescendo, diminuendo, decrescendo, rallentando, calando.