mezzoforte

Mezzoforte is a dynamic marking in music indicating a moderately loud volume. It lies between piano (soft) and forte (loud) and is typically written as mf in staff notation. The term comes from Italian mezzo (half) and forte (loud). In many scores, players are guided to produce a sound that is clearly projected but not full forte, with emphasis that can be shaped by phrasing, tempo, and accompaniment.

Mezzoforte is also the name of an Icelandic jazz-funk band formed in Reykjavik in 1977. The group became one of Iceland's first acts to achieve international recognition, blending jazz, funk, and pop textures. They released several albums, including a self-titled record Mezzoforte, and are known for instrumental tracks such as Garden Party. Over the years the band has undergone personnel changes and continued to influence the Nordic and European jazz scene.

Because of its dual use, the term mezzoforte may appear in music-related discussions either as a performance directive or as a proper noun referring to the ensemble. Spelling variations include mezzo-forte and mezzoforte; the former is more common in formal notation, the latter appears in some stylized or non-English contexts.