Performance
Con grazia
With grace.
What it means
Con grazia, Italian for “with grace,” calls for a light, elegant delivery. The marking concerns sound and motion: phrases should feel supple and pleasing, without heaviness or harshness.
Musical use
Con grazia often appears in dance-like or cheerful movements, such as minuets or scherzo-like passages, and frequently combines with moderate tempo markings. It should be distinguished from con amore, which points more to tender warmth, whereas con grazia aims more at lightness and dance-like elegance.
Performance practice
For con grazia, play with a light, springy touch and clearly phrased, uncluttered lines. Avoid hard accents and instead aim for a dance-like, swinging pulse.