Agogic Accent
Emphasis given to a note through slight lengthening rather than volume, often at the end of a phrase.
What it means
The agogic accent is a form of musical emphasis in which a note is highlighted not by increased volume but by a slight lengthening in time. The note's written value is stretched minimally beyond its notated duration, giving it weight relative to its surroundings without changing the dynamic level.
The term derives from the Greek agogé (leading, movement) and, more broadly, denotes the art of subtle timing and pacing within a piece whose overall tempo stays constant.
In the notation
Historically, the agogic accent was occasionally marked with a small roof- or wedge-shaped sign (^) above the note, especially over the first note of so-called feminine phrase endings, phrases that close on an unaccented beat. In modern notation the agogic accent is usually left to the performer's interpretation rather than written out.
Musical use
Agogic accents occur especially often at the ends of musical phrases, where they audibly mark the close of the phrase and give the performance a natural, speech-like shape, much like lingering on the last syllable of a spoken sentence. They differ from dynamic accents, which stress a note through volume, and from the regular metric emphases of a bar.
In performance practice, especially in Romantic chamber and piano music, the sensitive use of agogic accents is considered an important means of giving a phrase expression and breath without crudely altering the note values.
Performance practice
When practicing, use agogic accents very sparingly and subtly: even a slight lengthening is enough to highlight a note. Apply them deliberately at phrase endings to give a musical sentence a natural, breathing close, rather than changing the overall tempo.