largoadv.n.adj.

1683 H. Purcell Sonnatas of III Parts To Rdr. Presto Largo, Poco Largo, or Largo by it Self.

1721 A. Malcolm Treat. Musick xii. 405 6\\4 is always allegro, and would have no agreeable Air if it were performed adagio or largo.

1789 Analyt. Rev. Sept. 111 The overture..consists of three movements ; the first in common-time of four crotchets in a bar, allegro con spirito ; the second, 3/4, largo e sempre.

1800 Monthly Mag. Jan. 941/2 Adagio is by others considered as denoting a slower time than largo.

1843 J. Hullah Gram. Vocal Music xi. 26 Largo, or Lento, or Grave: very slow and solemn.

1909 C. F. A. Williams Rhythm Mod. Music ii. 28 A group of four such units played largo, for example, may occupy six or eight times the amount of time that is taken to perform a similar group in a prestissimo movement.

1991 Classic CD Dec. 12/3 An identical meaning is given—‘slow and broad’—to both largo and adagio.

1702 H. Hall in H. Purcell Orpheus Britannicus: 2nd Bk. p. ii/2 Well were it, if the World woul'd lay Embargo's On such Allegro's and such Poco Largo's.

1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. Largo, in the Italian music, a slow movement, one degree quicker than grave and two than adagio.

1821 Q. Musical Mag. & Rev. 3 41 The first movement is neither a cantabile nor a largo.

1880 ‘G. Eliot’ Let. 6 June (1956) VII. 297 Our delightful occupations have a largo which spreads them over all the large spaces of the day.

1907 L. Gilman Stories Symphonic Music 93 The symphony in E minor..is not programme-music, except in so far as its slow movement is concerned—the Largo in D-flat major.

1969 Daily Tel. 18 Jan. 17/2 In Dvorak's ‘New World’ Symphony..Mr. Rowicki's sang froid beat secured unanimous chording at such crucial points as the start of the Largo.

2004 Opera Now Mar. 31/3 The postlude is broadened so that the famous number ends as a largo.

1795 T. Hurlstone Crotchet Lodge i. ii. 18 Let your servant lead our horses round, while we walk and rante, and you accompany us through the grove to Crotchet Lodge, in a true largo movement.

1808 Universal Mag. Apr. 342/1 We have this month room only to notice the Overture of this famous Opera; which grand composition commences with a largo movement in the key of D minore.

1888 Harper's Mag. Dec. 48/1 The outline of his long boat-horn caught his eye, and picking it up he sounded its winding largo voice.

1921 Music & Lett. 2 336 Broadly speaking, the second of these elements is represented in the Largo passages of the introduction and in the melody of the first subject which they prepare for.

1946 H. Weinstock Handel 316 In Scene 2, Orlando (Senesino) enters, and to the accompaniment of the bassi (and at times solely the cellos) sings a largo cavatina.

2004 D. F. Wallace Oblivion 275 Her largo pulse was visible in the trembling of her bust.