legato
/lɪˈɡɑːtəʊ
/Music
adverb & adjective
In a smooth flowing manner, without breaks between notes: [as adverb]: the notes were played legato by the bassoons [as adjective]: his tremolo and legato work...Compare with staccato.
- An emphasis on slower tempos gives Black the opportunity to show off her very accomplished legato playing.
- The pianist wants us to hear everything, and he relies on his legato playing to prevent the music from sounding dry, even skeletal.
- The natural trumpets were brightly penetrating while the flutes and other woodwind resonated above the soft legato strings.
noun (plural legatos)
A piece or passage marked to be performed legato.The pedal plays a large role in creating a musical perception of legato, and for small-handed pianists, it is indispensable....
- Different pitches could also be obtained from the one string and the transition between these pitches was characterised by a delicate legato.
- The lyrical second theme brings forth a singing legato from the violin that contrasts wonderfully with its sharp and clipped phrasing in the first section.
Origin
Italian, literally 'bound'.
Rhymes
- unreconcilable
- unreconcilably
- unreconciled
- unreconciliable
- unreconnoitered
- unreconnoitred
- unreconstituted
- unreconstructed
- unrecordable
- unrecorded
- unrecording
- unrecounted
- unrecoverable
- unrecoverably
- unrecovered
- unrecruitable
- unrecruited
- unrectifiable
- unrectified
- unrecuperable
- unrecyclable
- unred
- Frenched
- French English
- French Equatorial Africa