appassionato

Appassionato is an Italian musical term meaning "passionate" or "ardent." It functions as an expressive marking in Western classical music, signaling that the music should be played with strong feeling and intensity. The feminine form appassionata is used to describe a piece or a feminine subject, and the term derives from appassionare, meaning to inflame passion or excite.

In notation, appassionato can appear by itself above a passage or be combined with other markings such as più appassionato or con passione. It typically denotes a hot, intense emotional character, often involving expressive rubato and a strong, engaged approach to dynamics, though it is not tied to a single tempo. The marking is most common in Romantic-era music but remains in use in modern scores as a mood directive alongside terms like espressivo, cantabile, or con fuoco.

A notable usage is Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, commonly known as the Appassionata, whose nickname reflects its intense, dramatic character. The feminine form appassionata appears in titles or descriptions where a passionately expressive mood is emphasized.

In vocal music, appassionato can describe a singer's delivery, calling for ardent, expressive singing. In instrumental works, it guides phrasing, dynamics, and tempo fluctuations to convey fervent emotion. Overall, appassionato remains a standard expressive directive in scores to evoke passionate performance.