Definition

1. Adverb:

   • In a slow tempo, in a leisurely manner. Used as a musical direction to indicate that a piece or passage should be played slowly and gracefully.

2. Adjective:

   • (Of a tempo) slow and leisurely. Describing music that is to be performed in a slow, graceful manner.

3. Noun:

   • A musical composition or passage played in an adagio tempo.
   • A slow section of a pas de deux in ballet, requiring great skill and strength from the dancers.

Examples

• Adverb:

  • The instruction in the score reads "play adagio."
  • The violinist performed the movement beautifully, playing adagio as marked.

• Adjective:

  • The adagio movement of the symphony is profoundly moving.
  • He composed an adagio section for the strings.

• Noun:

  • The concert opened with a beautiful adagio by Barber.
  • The ballet's highlight was the breathtaking adagio in the second act.

Advanced Usage

• "Adagio sostenuto": A musical direction meaning slow and sustained.

  • The pianist began the sonata's famous adagio sostenuto.

• "Adagio assai": A direction meaning very slow.

  • The tempo marking for the piece was adagio assai.

Variants and Related Words

• Adagietto (n/adj): A tempo slightly faster than adagio.
  • The piece is marked adagietto, a little quicker than a true adagio.

Synonyms

• Lento: Slow (in tempo).
• Largo: Slow and broad.
• Slowly: At a low speed. (General term, not a specific musical direction)

Related Phrases

• In adagio: Performed in a slow tempo.
  • The cello solo is written in adagio.

Related Idioms

(This term is highly specific to music and ballet; common idioms are not typically formed from it.)

Adjective

1. (of tempo) leisurely

Adverb

1. slowly
   • here you must play adagio

Noun

1. a slow section of a pas de deux requiring great skill and strength by the dancers
2. (music) a composition played in adagio tempo (slowly and gracefully)
   • they played the adagio too quickly