allentando

Allentando is an Italian musical term used as a tempo and expression marking. It indicates that the music should gradually loosen its tempo and momentum, producing a broader, more relaxed or contemplative character. The exact rate of the change depends on context, performer, and the surrounding musical material.

In practice, allentando is similar to rallentando or ritardando, but with nuance. It emphasizes easing or relaxing the tempo and mood rather than applying a strict metronomic deceleration. Performers may interpret it as a gradual broadening of time, sometimes combined with expressive rubato. The marking can appear alone or with modifiers such as poco a poco, signaling a gradual relaxation, and is often followed by a tempo indication to return to the original pace.

Notation and interpretation: Allentando is typically written above the staff as allentando or abbreviated allent. It may be paired with a hairpin or other phrasing marks to guide the observer toward a gradual slackening. In performance, it is realized as a flexible, less rigid tempo, allowing for lyrical or expansive phrasing, before resuming the indicated tempo later in the music (often with a tempo or a tempo recovery mark like a tempo).

Origin and usage: The term comes from the Italian allentare, meaning “to loosen.” It appears across music history, from Baroque to modern repertoire, reflecting a broad expressive aim of easing tempo and texture while preserving musical line and shape.

See also: ritardando, rallentando, allargando, tempo markings.