Decrescendo

To decrease gradually in volume, force, or intensity

"Decrescendo" is a musical term used to indicate a gradual decrease in volume or intensity of sound over a specific passage of music. Also known as "diminuendo", it directs performers to play or sing gradually softer.

"Decrescendo", often abbreviated as "decresc." or represented by the word itself in sheet music, instructs performers to reduce the loudness of the music as they progress through a musical phrase or section. This dynamic marking guides musicians to create a smooth and controlled transition from a louder volume to a quieter one.

Similar to "crescendo" and "diminuendo", "decrescendo" is part of the language of dynamics in music. It provides a way for composers to shape the emotional arc of a composition and add expressiveness to a performance. Just as different instruments and voices have unique timbres and tonal characteristics, performers should interpret "decrescendo" with sensitivity to create a seamless and coherent musical effect.

"Decrescendo" markings can appear in various contexts within a piece of music. They might indicate a subtle tapering of volume or a more pronounced change in dynamic level. Depending on the composer's intention, performers might execute a decrescendo gradually or more rapidly, always keeping in mind the overall musical context.

Interpreting "decrescendo" requires a balance of technical control and artistic expression. Skillful execution of a decrescendo adds nuance and musicality to a performance, helping to create the desired emotional impact and maintaining a dynamic and engaging musical narrative.

Example of Decrescendo

What Is A Decrescendo In Music?

Tutor's Video (Miss Christy)

Frankie Chan

Frankie Chan

California Baptist University (US), Hong Kong Baptist University
Master
Violin, Western Music Theory
Ms Veronika

Ms Veronika

Hong Kong Baptist University
Master
Piano, Western Music Theory
Wailly Kau

Wailly Kau

Guildhall School of Music and Drama (UK), The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Master (Current)
Piano, Piano Accompaniment, Western Music Theory
Athena Kwong

Athena Kwong

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Master
Yangqin
Jan Au

Jan Au

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (UK), The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Master
Cello
Raymond Cheng

Raymond Cheng

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University
Master
Clarinet, Saxophone
Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer, the predominant musical figure during the transition between the Classical to Romantic eras. He occupies an unprecedented dominance in the history of Western music history, and has been widely regarded as the greatest, most influential and most popular musician who ever lived.

Beethoven's music inherited the artistic atmosphere of Haydn and Mozart, penetrated the desire for dignity, vented the anger tortured by fate, and demonstrated his determination to fight with fate.

Compared to other musicians, Beethoven is effectively to interact the philosophy of life with audience through music. Although he was not a romantic, he had become the object followed by other romantics.

As a musician, Beethoven suffered from ear diseases. However, he was unwilling to succumb to fate, vowing to take fate by the throat, and continue to complete his career. In the last ten years of his life, without hearing any sound, his compositions influenced the development of music for nearly two hundred years.

Pachelbel's Canon

Canon in D

Canon in D, one of the most widely known classical music pieces of contemporary times, is composed by German composer Johann Pachelbel. The original version of Canon in D is composed for three violins, accompanied by one (or more) bass instrument(s). Over time, the piece has been arranged into various versions, such as piano solo and orchestral versions. The exact date of its composition is not recorded but it is generally believed to be composed between 1680-1706.
Read the music carefully

Common Practice Guide

After many years of being a student first and a teacher after, we often noticed that in our every day practice we can make small mistakes that may slow us down or might not bring the best out of our music. With these short tips we tried to go through some of them, hoping it will help students (and not only!) in their daily practice.

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