allargando

Allargando, from the Italian allargare meaning “to widen,” is a musical term used to indicate a gradual broadening of tempo and expressiveness. It signals that the music should become slower and more expansive, with a broader sense of space in the phrase structure.

Interpretation of allargando varies with context. It is often contrasted with ritardando or rallentando in that, in addition to slowing, the marking calls for a broader, more expansive character. The tempo may decelerate and the note values may lengthen, but the exact speed and breadth depend on the musical context, style, and performance practice.

Notation and placement: Allargando appears as the marking allargando (sometimes abbreviated) at a point in the score where the composer wants the music to broaden. It may occur at the end of a section or at a transition, and is typically followed by a return to the previous tempo or by a subsequent, more energetic passage.

Context and history: The marking has been used from Baroque to Romantic and into modern repertoire to evoke grandeur, solemnity, or introspection. Because it blends tempo change with character, performers often shape the effect with rubato, dynamics, and phrasing rather than applying a rigid tempo prescription.

In practice, allargando invites a slowing that carries a sense of widening texture and expression, before moving on to the next musical idea.