accelerando

[ak-sel-uh-ran-doh, -rahn-, aht-che-le-rahn-daw]

adverb

Music.

1. gradually increasing in speed.

accelerando

/ ækˌsɛləˈrændəʊ /

adjective

1. (to be performed) with increasing speed

noun

1. an increase in speed

Word History and Origins

Origin of accelerando¹

1835–45; < Italian < Latin accelerandus, gerundive of accelerāre to speed up. See accelerate

Word History and Origins

Origin of accelerando¹

Italian

Example Sentences

Just as the familiar tune “In the Hall of the Mountain King” gradually builds speed “accelerando,” as the compositional notation is known, some birdsong does too, like that of the nightingale.

From New York Times

“He was ready,” Hughes wrote, “with big rallentendos when they were needed for expansive lifts and with accelerandos when fleet footwork was involved.”

From Washington Post

He will add accelerandos, add ritardandos; he will change things in his own piece.

From New York Times

On Friday, during the elaborate “Fledermaus” overture there were moments of shaky coordination; a few accelerandos started out tentatively before settling into a groove.

From New York Times

Mr. Fischer is of this second school, and here he displayed a malleable pulse, amply yet sensibly using driven accelerandos and aching rubatos.

From New York Times

When To Use

What does accelerando mean?

Accelerando describes a tempo that is gradually increasing in speed.In music, accelerando tells a musician to play increasingly faster. Typically, music’s speed, or tempo, is denoted in beats per minute (BPM). When the BPM changes, the tempo of the music instantly changes. But when a tempo change is marked with an accelerando command, it will gradually increase over the notes indicated rather than changing instantly.Accelerando commands are often used in music to create a sense of urgency, excitement, or increasing emotion as the tempo increases.Example: We still need to work on that accelerando section because some of the instruments are dragging.