Definitions for rubato
ruˈbɑ toʊru·ba·to

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. rubatonoun

   a flexible tempo; not strictly on the beat

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. rubatonoun

   A tempo in which strict timing is relaxed, the music being played near, but not on the beat

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. rubato

   Tempo rubato (UK: , US: , Italian: [ˈtɛmpo ruˈbaːto]; 'free in the presentation', literally Italian for 'stolen time') is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor. Rubato is an expressive shaping of music that is a part of phrasing.While rubato is often loosely taken to mean playing with expressive and rhythmic freedom, it was traditionally used specifically in the context of expression as speeding up and then slowing down the tempo. In the past, expressive and free playing (beyond only rubato) was often associated with the terms "ad libitum". Rubato, even when not notated, is often used liberally by musicians, e.g. singers frequently use it intuitively to let the tempo of the melody expressively shift slightly and freely above that of the accompaniment. This intuitive shifting leads to rubato's main effect: making music sound expressive and natural. Nineteenth century composer-pianist Frédéric Chopin is often mentioned in the context of rubato (see Chopin's technique and performance style). The term rubato existed even before the romantic era. In the 18th century, rubato meant expressing rhythm spontaneously, with freedom. In many cases, it was achieved by playing uneven notes. This idea was used, among others, by Ernst Wilhelm Wolf and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. In addition to that, Leopold Mozart claimed that the accompaniment should remain strict in tempo.In the mid 18th century, the meaning of rubato began to change gradually. People were using the term as being able to move notes freely back and forth. Johann Friedrich Agricola interpreted rubato as "stealing the time".As time moves on to the 19th century, people recognized rubato yet slightly differently. In Chopin's music rubato functioned as a way to make a melody more emotional through changing the tempo by, for instance, accelerando, ritenuto and syncopations. Chopin "often played with the melody subtly lingering or passionately anticipating the beat while the accompaniment stayed at least relatively, if not strictly, in time". In this case, rubato is used as a concept of flexibility of tempo for a more expressive melody.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. rubato

   Rubato is a term in music that refers to a flexible and expressive approach to tempo and rhythm. It is an Italian word that translates to 'robbed', which in this context means borrowing some duration from one note or beat to give to another, causing a shift in the regular rhythmic flow. This technique allows performers to express greater emotional intensity and personal interpretation in their music. It's often used in romantic music, particularly that of Chopin.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Rubatoadjective

   robbed; borrowed

2. Etymology: [It.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Rubato

   rōō-bä′to, adj. (mus.) in modified or distorted rhythm. [It., pa.p. of rubare, to steal.]

Matched Categories

1. • Tempo

Anagrams for rubato »

1. tabour

2. bar out

3. outbar

How to pronounce rubato?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say rubato in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of rubato in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of rubato in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=rubato
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Rubato
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubato
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubato
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=rubato