Ritardando

Pronunciation: /rɪtɑːrdændo/

Definitions of ritardando

noun a musical term indicating a gradual decrease in tempo

Example Sentences

A1 I don't understand what 'ritardando' means.

A2 The music teacher explained that 'ritardando' means to slow down the tempo.

B1 The orchestra conductor signaled for a ritardando in the final bars of the piece.

B2 The pianist executed the ritardando flawlessly, bringing the piece to a dramatic conclusion.

C1 The composer's use of ritardando in this symphony adds depth and emotion to the music.

C2 The conductor's interpretation of the ritardando was masterful, eliciting a standing ovation from the audience.

Examples of ritardando in a Sentence

formal The pianist executed a beautiful ritardando at the end of the piece.

informal The band decided to slow down with a ritardando for the last part of the song.

slang Let's add a ritardando to that part to make it sound more dramatic.

figurative Life sometimes throws us a ritardando, forcing us to slow down and appreciate the moment.

Grammatical Forms of ritardando

• past tense: ritardandoed
• plural: ritardandos
• comparative: more ritardando
• superlative: most ritardando
• present tense: ritardandos
• future tense: will ritardando
• perfect tense: have ritardandoed
• continuous tense: is ritardandoing
• singular: ritardando
• positive degree: ritardando
• infinitive: to ritardando
• gerund: ritardandoing
• participle: ritardandoed

Origin and Evolution of ritardando

First Known Use: 1724 year

Language of Origin: Italian

Story behind the word: The word 'ritardando' originated from Italian musical terminology.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in music to indicate a gradual decrease in tempo, 'ritardando' has evolved to be commonly used in music notation to instruct performers to slow down gradually.