Meaning of Legato | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A style of performance characterized by smoothly connected notes.
   countable, uncountable
2. A passage that is played legato.
   countable, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“It is the coördination of the finger and hand as examplified in the proportionate speed⟳ of shifting according to the speed⟳ of the musical passage, which makes for evenness, continuity, smoothness, and ultimately, a fine legato.”

“At the end⟳ of the prelude of Caprice V, there is a chromatic ascending and descending scale of forty-eight notes to be played in one bow in legato.”

“Clementi, in his "Introduction to the art of playing the piano-forte" (1801) still had to advise⟳ pianists that : "the best general rule⟳ is to keep⟳ the keys of the instrument suppressed during the whole length of the note⟳" (p.8) and "whenver the composer leaves the legato or staccato to the taste⟳ of the performer, the best rule⟳ is to use⟳ the legato in most cases and to reserve⟳ the staccato in order⟳ to give⟳ particular passages more spirit and to enhance the higher beauties of the legato."”

““[…]If you’re shooting an entire scene, there’s a more legato rhythm, a crest and a fall⟳, some gradation. But you don’t really need⟳ it for the style of performance Bong [Joon Ho] wants, and that frees you up to do these very discordant turns: If you’re just doing one line, you can do maximum intensity out of nowhere.”

“It schools the mind⟳ to watch⟳ for the legato all the time, as its absence at the organ is mor prominent than at the piano; but beyond this point⟳ it renders little assitance to the pianist.”

“A good pianist, however, will make⟳ his audience believe⟳ that he is as capable of performing a legato as is a singer or violinist.”

“Legatos are indicated in both notations by a bow between respective notes.”

CEFR level