Risoluto

What it means

Risoluto means “resolute” and calls for a performance without hesitation: a definite attack, firm rhythm, clear accents, an attitude that has committed itself.

The marking concerns the attitude, not the tempo, and usually stands as an addition to a tempo word or alone over a section that is to set itself off decisively from its surroundings.

Risoluto differs from energico, which calls for power, in its point of view: energy is applied strength, resoluteness the certainty behind it. A resolute performance can also take place at a medium volume. It differs from herzhaft, which means a hearty approach, through its more serious tone.

In the notation

The word stands in italics above the staff and applies until a new marking. Typical is proximity to dotted rhythms, accents, unison passages, and short, concise motifs.

Musical use

The designation is used in themes with a clear profile, in sections that mark a decision after a hesitant or searching passage, and in closing turns that end the movement definitely. In the music of the nineteenth century it is widespread, in piano as well as in orchestral literature.

The instruction calls for a resolute, energetic performance with firm entries, clear accents, and a stable tempo. It often stands at the beginning of themes or sections that are to have a definite, goal-directed character. Risoluto is related to deciso and energico and is found in sonatas, symphonies, and concertos of the Classical and Romantic periods. The tone is forceful but not violent; the articulation distinct. Everything lives from the feeling of decision: the music must not...

Performance practice

Attack the notes without hesitation; any uncertainty in the attack contradicts the expression. Keep the pulse firm and the dotted rhythms sharp. Play accents clearly but without hardness. And mark the beginning of the section distinctly — resoluteness works most strongly in contrast to what came before.