eritahti

Eritahti is a Finnish-language term that would translate roughly as “different tempo” or “varying tempo.” It is not a standard or widely established concept in formal musicology, but it can appear in informal discussions about tempo variation in Finnish. The idea behind the term is that tempo changes occur between sections or movements, rather than being a single steady tempo or purely flexible in a phrase through rubato.

In practical use, eritahti would describe a piece that shifts into distinct tempos for different sections, such as a slower opening followed by a faster middle section or contrasting speeds between movements. Because it is not a widely adopted term in dictionaries or pedagogy, performers are more likely to rely on explicit markings (ritardando, accelerando, a tempo) or on conventional rubato to express tempo flexibility.

Etymology and orthography: the word is formed from eri- meaning “different” and tahti meaning “tempo” or “beat.” It follows standard Finnish compounding conventions, and there are no broadly accepted alternative spellings in published sources.

Limitations: eritahti is not a well-documented or universally recognized term in music literature. Its use tends to be informal or hypothetical, and it should not be treated as equivalent to established concepts such as rubato, ritardando, or accelerando.

See also: tempo, rubato, ritardando, accelerando, tempo marking.