stentando

Meaning of Stentando in Music

Stentando, also known as stentato, is a musical expression that conveys a sense of laboriousness, heaviness, or sluggishness in the performance. It can also indicate a strong and forced interpretation of the music. The term is often abbreviated as "sten".

In music, stentando is similar to ritenuto, which means to slow down the tempo. However, stentando emphasizes a heavy emphasis on the tones, giving a sense of toiling or struggling in the performance.

Example Usage

An example of using stentando in a musical context would be a composer or conductor instructing the performers to play a specific passage stentando, indicating that they should perform it in a laborious and heavy manner, with a dragging or delaying effect on the tempo.

Conclusion

Stentando is a musical expression that signifies a laborious, heavy, or sluggish interpretation of the music. It is often used to convey a sense of toiling or struggling in the performance.