Crescendo

The transition as a means of expression

On the page Dynamics it says: at least as important as the fixed levels are the transitions. The crescendo is the gradual getting louder, often the strongest build-up of tension in music at all, because the ear experiences the swelling as an increase of energy and urgency. Its counterpart, the decrescendo or diminuendo, is the gradual getting softer and brings calming, withdrawal or fading out. In notation both often appear as opening or closing hairpins under the notes.

The page Notation symbols describes the technique: on the piano every attack becomes a little stronger than the preceding one, on the violin you take continually more bow weight. A linear course is important. As the most famous crescendo in music history the page names Ravel's “Boléro”, which grows constantly over 15 minutes.

Two ways of shaping loudness

The Dynamics page distinguishes historically two principles. Terraced dynamics sets loud and soft sections side by side like steps, without transition. That is the typical sound of Baroque music, since many instruments of that time, such as the harpsichord, could not change their volume continuously. Gradual dynamics with crescendo and decrescendo caught on only with instruments that allowed fine gradations. The piano carries this in its name: “pianoforte” literally means “soft-loud”. According to the page both principles exist side by side to this day.

Louder does not mean faster

The page Tools warns of a coupling: loudness and tempo couple in the body almost automatically, it gets faster when it gets louder and slower when it gets softer. The metronome makes this mercilessly audible. That is why you should practise loud passages explicitly with a click. See also Accent for the single note.

Crescendo in the score

Guitar

• Etüde Nr. 7 Matteo Carcassi, op. 60 No. 7 · guitar · 2 pages

  Begins with f. In bar 2 there is a “dim.” with a dashed line, in bar 3 a “cresc.”, in bar 4 “dim.” again, in bar 5 f enters anew. In bars 13 and 14 closing hairpins are written under the groups, in bar 15 “cresc.” again and in bar 16 mf.

Piano

• Le Courant limpide Friedrich Burgmüller, op. 100 No. 7 · piano · 1 page

  “Allegro vivace”, beginning with “pp mormorando”. In the first bars “cresc.” and “dim.” follow.

Common mistakes

• Getting faster in a crescendo: The body couples loudness and tempo. Check with a metronome.
• Getting loud too early: The course should be linear, not tip over at the very beginning.
• Confusing hairpin and accent: The hairpin is written over several notes, the accent over a single one.