sforzate

Sforzate is a musical term related to a sudden, forceful accent on a note or chord. It is the feminine plural form of the Italian adjective sforzato, which itself comes from the verb sforzare, meaning to force or to push. In practice, the concept is most commonly conveyed in scores by the markings sforzando, sforzato, or the abbreviation sfz; sforzate is less commonly used as a standalone directive, but can appear in Italian-language texts or in phrases describing multiple accented notes (note sforzate).

Usage and interpretation: A sforzate marking signals an abrupt attack with emphasis on the note or chord, followed by a dynamic release. The precise execution—how strong the attack is and how quickly the sound decays—depends on the tempo, context, and surrounding dynamics. Composers may place sforzate on a single note, on a chord, or on a group of notes, sometimes in combination with other dynamic markings.

Notation and variants: In modern notation, sfz (or sf) is the most common shorthand to indicate a sforzato/sforzando effect. Historical scores may spell out the full terms sforzato or sforzando. The plural form sforzate appears mainly in discussions of multiple accented notes or in Italian-language sources rather than as a standard performance directive.

Origin and usage note: The concept of a sudden accent has long been part of classical and romantic repertoire. While sforzando and sforzato are the standard terms today, sforzate may be encountered in certain texts or editions. Performers should consider the surrounding tempo and dynamics to realize the intended emphasis.

See also: sforzando, sforzato, sfz, accent (music).