Cantabile

This article covers the playing instruction in music. For further meanings of the term "Cantabile" see Cantabile (disambiguation) .

Cantabile ( Italian ) is a musical performance designation , meaning "singing" or "song-like".

Originally, the term used in instrumental music to imitate the human voice in a certain way of phrasing . In the 18th century , the indication (similar to cantando (singing)) meant an appropriate tempo and flexible legato play . In addition, especially in piano music , cantabile describes the characteristics of a melody in slow tempo - often adagio - with small interval steps that are emphasized compared to the accompaniment (cf. counterpoint ).

In opera , Cantabile is used as a noun denoting the first half of an aria , followed by the cabaletta . The first movement (Cantabile) is slower and a little freer in form than the structured and generally a little faster cabaletta. Opera arias exerted a strong influence on the "singable" melodic theme in romantic music for string instruments .