Larghissimo

What it means

Larghissimo is the superlative form of largo: extremely broad, extremely slow. The ending -issimo intensifies the base word, and since largo already counts among the slowest tempo words, larghissimo designates the lower end of the usual scale. Numerical indications carry little meaning here; occasionally values below 40 beats per minute are given, but at such slow tempos the chosen counting unit matters more than the number.

Alongside slowness, the word means breadth: much room for every note, widely spanned phrases, full sound. In this it differs from lentissimo, which designates pure slowness, and from adagissimo, in which the calm, leisurely bearing of the base word adagio still resonates. The marking is rare; more often paraphrases such as molto largo are found.

In the notation

The word stands above the first staff of a movement or section. Because of its rarity, some editions add a metronome number, which then comes from the editor. Typical is the proximity to long note values and wide phrases, which make the breadth visible in the notation.

Musical use

The marking is used in music that tends toward standstill: in mourning and lament music, in introductions that depict a mood rather than a movement, and in closing sections that are meant to fade away. Because the pulse lies very far apart, cohesion must come from other means — from an even accompanying figure, a sustained bass, or a continuous harmonic progression.

The marking is very rare and designates the slowest of all tempos.

Performance practice

Choose a smaller counting unit than the time signature suggests, and keep to it consistently; otherwise ensemble playing at such tempos is hardly possible. Check beforehand whether breath, bow, or pedal suffice for the longest notes, and plan changes at inconspicuous points. Carry the sound across the full duration of the note, instead of setting it at the beginning and letting it fade. And watch the intonation: at very slow tempos the listener has time to examine every note.