tenuto
/təˈnuːtoʊ/
adverb
- In music, a direction to hold a note or chord for its full length, often slightly longer than usual.
- She played the melody tenuto, letting the sound ring out clearly.
- The conductor marked the passage tenuto to give each note its full value.
- In the sheet music, the tenuto marking reminded the violinist to sustain the note.
Antonyms
adjective
- Describing a note or chord that is held for its full duration.
- The pianist emphasized the tenuto sections with a gentle, sustained touch.
- The tenuto notes in the bass line added weight to the piece.
- He practiced the tenuto chords until they sounded smooth and connected.
noun
- A musical note or passage played in a sustained manner.
- She struggled with the tenutos because they required careful breath control.
- The composer wrote several tenutos in the slow movement.
- The teacher explained how to interpret the tenutos in the score.