Swelling

What it means

Anschwellend is the German equivalent of crescendo and calls for raising the loudness gradually. The image of swelling captures the intended process well: the sound increases like a wave, steadily and without steps.

Like all German performance markings, the word is not strictly defined. It names neither a starting nor a target value but describes the direction. How far the increase goes follows from the context and from the markings that stand before and after.

The opposite term is abschwellend or the Italian decrescendo. The gradual swelling is to be distinguished from a sudden change of loudness such as subito forte calls for, and from the emphasis of a single note by sforzando.

In the notation

The word stands above the staff at the point from which the increase is to hold, in German-language editions in place of the Italian word. Frequently a crescendo hairpin is added or replaces the marking entirely. The end is marked by a new dynamic marking; where it is missing, the increase ends with the section.

Musical use

Swelling passages prepare climaxes, lead toward entries and give long phrases a direction. In orchestral music the swelling is frequently produced additionally by the joining-in of further instruments, so that loudness and fullness of sound grow together. In chamber music and song, by contrast, the increase lies with the performers alone and becomes a means of phrasing.

The word is found in German-language scores, for instance in Schumann and Brahms, as a translation of crescendo. It is also notated with a hairpin.

Performance practice

Begin softer than you think, so that room remains for the increase — that is the most common mistake. Think the increase in steps and settle where the maximum lies. See that the tempo does not involuntarily rise with the loudness; the two are independent of each other. And keep the sound quality: a swelling in which the tone becomes hard loses its effect.