Musical Expression Terms: Dolce, Cantabile, Con Brio

Expression terms are words, almost always Italian, with which the composer shows the character or feeling in which a piece should be played: dolce (sweet), maestoso (majestic), con brio (with spirit)… They are written above or below the staff (UK: stave), at the start of a piece or where the character changes, and they complete the tempo, the dynamics and the articulation.

Many markings are written in Italian because Italian music had an enormous influence across Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its vocabulary spread among composers and performers in different countries and became a tradition that is still kept in scores today.

Where they are written

Markings are placed above or below the staff, at the point where they start to apply. At the beginning of a piece, a character term usually goes with the tempo. Later, other terms may appear that change the character or the speed. In this example, Andante con moto gives the tempo and character at the start. Dolce asks for softness from the first note, espressivo asks for expressiveness in the second measure (UK: bar), and poco rit. slows down a little at the end.

Two measures with expression markings written in the score: above the start, “Andante con moto”; below the first note, “dolce”; and above the second measure, “espressivo” and “poco rit.”. — Tempo and expression markings above and below the staff.

Tempo, dynamics, articulation and expression

The four kinds of marking answer different questions, which is why they often appear together:

Marking	Question it answers	Examples
Tempo	How fast?	Adagio, Andante, Allegro
Dynamics	How loud?	piano, forte, crescendo
Articulation	How is each note attacked and joined?	legato, staccato, tenuto
Expression (character)	With what character or feeling?	dolce, maestoso, appassionato

The families below are meant for study, not rigid categories. Many terms fit in several, and some describe the way of playing more than a feeling (pesante, leggiero, cantabile).

Soft and delicate

Term	Meaning
dolce	Sweet, soft.
dolcissimo	Very sweet.
soave	Gentle, smooth.
delicato	Delicate, with delicacy.
leggiero	Light, with lightness; suggests an agile performance.
grazioso	Graceful, elegant.
tranquillo	Calm, serene.

Lively and brilliant

Term	Meaning
brillante	Brilliant, showy.
con brio	With spirit: with energy and liveliness.
spiritoso	Spirited, with animation.
animato	Animated, lively.
giocoso	Playful, merry.
scherzando	Playful, as if joking.
con fuoco	With fire, with ardor.

Energetic and determined

Term	Meaning
energico	Energetic.
risoluto	Resolute, determined.
deciso	Decided, firm.
agitato	Agitated, restless.
appassionato	Passionate.
marziale	Martial, in the character of a march.
pesante	Heavy, with weight: asks for each note to be stressed and marked (more a way of playing than a feeling).

Solemn and grave

Term	Meaning
maestoso	Majestic.
solenne	Solemn.
grandioso	Grand.
pomposo	Pompous, stately.
nobile	Noble.
religioso	Religious, reverent.
funebre	Funereal.

Expressive and melancholy

Term	Meaning
espressivo	Expressive, with expression (also con espressione).
cantabile	Songlike: in a melodious way, as if the melody were sung (it does not imply sadness).
con anima	With soul, with spirit.
con amore	With love, with tenderness.
affettuoso	Affectionate, tender.
tenero	Tender.
dolente	Sorrowful, with pain.
lamentoso	Plaintive, like a lament.
mesto	Sad, mournful.
malinconico	Melancholy.
misterioso	Mysterious, enigmatic (it does not imply sadness).

Words that modify: molto, poco, sempre…

Many markings carry an extra word that changes or strengthens their meaning. They combine with character terms, with tempo and with dynamics:

Term	Meaning	Example
molto	Much, very.	molto espressivo: very expressive
assai	"Very" or "quite", depending on the composer and the context.	Allegro assai
poco, un poco	Little, a little.	un poco maestoso: a little majestic in character
più	More.	più dolce: sweeter
meno	Less.	meno agitato: less agitated
sempre	Always, constantly.	sempre dolce: always sweet
subito	Suddenly, immediately.	subito dolce: suddenly soft
poco a poco	Little by little, gradually.	poco a poco più animato: more and more animated
non troppo, ma non troppo	Not too much; but not too much.	Allegro ma non troppo
quasi	Almost, "as if it were".	quasi recitativo: almost like a recitative, freely, as if speaking while singing
con, senza	With, without.	con brio, senza espressione

Combinations with tempo, such as Allegro ma non troppo or Allegro assai, are explained on the page about musical tempo.

Examples in famous works

Expression terms appear in the classics, almost always alongside a tempo:

Work	Marking	Meaning
Beethoven, Symphony No. 3, 1st movement	Allegro con brio	Fast and with energy.
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 1st movement	Allegro con brio	Fast and with energy.
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 2nd movement	Andante con moto	At an easy walking pace, with motion.
Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, 1st movement	Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso	Fast but not too much, with a slightly majestic character.
Beethoven, "Moonlight" Sonata, 1st movement	Adagio sostenuto	Slow and sustained.
Beethoven, "Pathétique" Sonata, 1st movement	Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio	Slow, solemn introduction; then very fast and with energy.
Beethoven, "Pathétique" Sonata, 2nd movement	Adagio cantabile	Slow and songlike.
Beethoven, Sonata Op. 10 No. 3, 2nd movement	Largo e mesto	Very slow and sad.

Tempo and character at once

Some terms began as speed indications and now also suggest a character: vivace (lively), grave (grave, solemn) or sostenuto (sustained, sometimes a little slower). In practice, depending on the period and the composer, the same term can be read more as tempo or more as character, and the context helps decide. For speeds, see musical tempo. For changes of speed (rit., accel.), see agogics.

How to study them

By families. Learning them in groups of character (soft, lively, energetic, solemn, expressive) is easier than memorizing an alphabetical list.
Through English cousins. Most resemble an English word: dolce and dulcet, maestoso and majestic, appassionato and passionate.
With the music in front of you. Each time you meet one in a score, play or sing it with that character. That is how it sticks.
Together with the other markings. Practice tempo with the tempo exercises and dynamics with the dynamics exercises.

To change how the sound is produced, and not only its character, see performance effects and musical ornaments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are expression terms in music?

They are words, almost always Italian, with which the composer shows the character or feeling in which a piece should be played, such as dolce (sweet), maestoso (majestic) or con brio (with spirit). They complete the tempo, dynamics and articulation.

Why are musical terms in Italian?

Because Italian music had an enormous influence across Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its vocabulary spread among composers and performers in different countries and became a tradition that is still kept in scores.

What is the difference between tempo, dynamics and expression terms?

Tempo shows speed, dynamics show loudness, articulation shows how each note is attacked and joined, and expression terms show character or feeling. They often appear together, for example in Allegro con brio.

What do dolce, cantabile and espressivo mean?

Dolce means sweet and soft. Cantabile means in a melodious, songlike way. Espressivo means with expression, that is, bringing out the musical intention.

What does "con brio" mean?

With spirit: with energy and liveliness. It is often combined with a tempo, as in Allegro con brio, the marking of the first movement of Beethoven's third and fifth symphonies.

What do molto, poco and assai mean?

Molto means much or very, poco means little, and assai means very or quite, depending on the composer and the context. They strengthen or soften another marking, as in molto espressivo, un poco maestoso (a little majestic) or Allegro assai.