Negligente
Performance direction "negligent": to play casually, without effort or emphasis.
What it means
Negligente is an Italian performance direction meaning "negligent, careless". It means casual, easy playing without effort and without particular emphasis. The expression should seem carefree and natural, as if the music had arisen by chance.
Musical use
The marking is rare and is found mainly in pieces of a light, cheerful character. It says nothing about the tempo but about the attitude of the performance. Negligente should be distinguished from scherzando (playful, jesting), which asks for an active playfulness, and from dolce (sweet), which refers to the sound and not to the attitude.
Performance practice
Play negligente with a loose wrist and a soft touch. Avoid strong accents and give the phrases an unforced movement. Careless does not mean inexact, however: rhythm and pitch stay clean.