Espressivo

Expressive

“Espressivo” is derived from “esprimere” (“to express”). As a performance direction it means “expressive”. What is meant is a particularly intense and effective performance, above all of the melody. It prescribes no fixed volume and no tempo; the word demands that the music “say something”.

Word and abbreviation

Besides the word there are the abbreviations “espress.” and “espr.”. On the sheets from the archive, Chopin has the full word and Mertz the abbreviation “espress.”. There is also “con espressione”, “with expression”, which hardly differs in meaning.

Piano

• Prélude e-moll Frédéric Chopin, op. 28 No. 4 · piano · 1 page

  “Largo”, alla breve sign, one sharp, E minor according to the title. Under the upbeat of the right hand are “p” and, in italics, “espressivo”; a long slur runs over the melody.

Guitar

• Gitarrenschule, Stück Nr. 4 Johann Kaspar Mertz · guitar · 1 page

  “Andante”, 3/4 time, no key signature, with chord symbols. In bar 13, under the bass, is the abbreviation “espress.” in upright type. The end of its effect is not marked; the section closes in bar 16 with a repeat sign.

Chopin writes “p espressivo” at the beginning of the melody, dynamics and performance direction together. In Mertz the direction is in bar 13 under the bass, not above the melody.

Espressivo, dolce and cantabile

All three are character directions. Dolce means the soft sound, cantabile the singing delivery, espressivo the expressive shaping. The word names no means; how to create expression is up to you, for example through fine gradations of volume.

Common mistakes

• Reading espressivo as an order to get louder: Chopin writes p with it.
• Playing everything equally expressively: Expression needs a direction; without a high point it sounds arbitrary.
• Confusing expression with exaggeration: The direction asks for shaping that suits the music, not effects.