Rubato
Definition
Rubato is a musical term that refers to the flexible and expressive manipulation of tempo. It allows the performer to speed up or slow down the tempo for artistic effect, while still maintaining the overall structure of the music.
Analogy
Imagine driving on a highway where you have control over the speed limit. Rubato is like adjusting your speed as you drive, sometimes going faster or slower depending on the scenery or mood, but always staying within a reasonable range.
Related terms
Tempo: The speed at which a piece of music is played. It determines how fast or slow the music feels.
Accelerando: A gradual increase in tempo, where the music gets progressively faster.
Ritardando: A gradual decrease in tempo, where the music gets progressively slower.
"Rubato" appears in:
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