clef d'ut première ligne

[French, yield] A musical directive to the performer to yield, or slow down.

robbed Italian, literally, robbed.

rubato, (from Italian rubare, “to rob”), in music, subtle rhythmic manipulation and nuance in performance. For greater musical expression, the performer may stretch certain beats, measures, or phrases and compact others.

The definition of rubato is a flexibility/freedom in the performance of a rhythm. Basically, rubato is when a performer doesn't stick to the strict rhythms written by the composer, but alters them to give more expression to the performance. Rubato is one of the most controversial performing techniques in music.

Tempo rubato (or a tempo rubato) means literally in robbed time, i.e., duration taken from one measure or beat and given to another, but in modern practice the term is quite generally applied to any irregularity of rhythm or tempo not definitely indicated in the score.

rubato, (from Italian rubare, “to rob”), in music, subtle rhythmic manipulation and nuance in performance. For greater musical expression, the performer may stretch certain beats, measures, or phrases and compact others.

A second example of rubato used at a singing moment is in his Second Piano Concerto. In a similar situation, the melody leaps up to three A-flat played consecutively and the rubato marked tells the player to perform them in a singing quality.

Rubato is the act of taking time from one beat, or group of beats, and giving it back in subsequent beats. This is a relatively simple concept, and can be used in myriad ways, highlighting expression and meaning in music when used with balance and taste. “The art of not playing in tempo - one has to learn it.