‖ decrescendo Mus.
(dekreʃˈʃɛndo, deɪkrəˈʃɛndəʊ)
[It. = decreasing.]
A musical direction indicating that the tone is to be gradually lessened in force or loudness; = diminuendo. As n.: A gradual diminution of loudness of tone. Also attrib. and as v. intr.
| 1806 in T. Busby Dict. Mus. (ed. 2). 1880 Grove Dict. Mus. s.v., A decrescendo of 48 bars from fff. 1890 G. B. Shaw London Music (1937) 365 The Wagnerian interpretation of the decrescendo mark over the chord. 1903 R. Langbridge Flame & Flood xvi. 165 Her voice..crescendoed..and decrescendoed. 1968 Language XLIV. 87 A long decrescendo and downglide typically follow the peak of stress. |