Mosso

What it means

Mosso is the participle of muovere, “to move,” and means “moved.” As a tempo marking it designates a tempo in which the music clearly moves forward — faster than a calm basic tempo, without a particular value thereby being fixed.

The word is most often encountered in the combinations più mosso (“more moved”) and meno mosso (“less moved”), which set a new tempo in relation to the preceding one. Standing alone, mosso designates the moved tempo itself, often as a counterpart to a preceding calm section.

Mosso is to be distinguished from con moto. Both belong to the same word family, but con moto is an addition that colours a tempo word and adds movement to it, while mosso on its own designates the tempo reached. It differs from animato, which means liveliness in expression, in that here the movement itself is meant.

In the notation

The word stands in italics above the staff, either as part of a phrase with più or meno or as an independent marking at the point from which it applies. It remains in effect until a new tempo marking; a tempo or tempo primo restore the earlier tempo.

Musical use

As a tempo marking, mosso marks moved sections within calm movements and, conversely, the way back from a calm episode. In combination with più and meno it organizes whole formal processes: a piece can thus consist of a sequence of tempo levels that all relate to one another, without a single number being named. This procedure is especially widespread in the music of the nineteenth century.

Performance practice

Determine the new tempo in relation to the old and take it immediately, without transition. Remember the starting tempo, for the markings relate to it and you will usually return there. Take care that movement does not tip over into haste: the note values must keep their duration. And check the first bar after the change especially carefully in ensemble — there it is decided whether everyone means the same tempo.