planissimo

The pianist plays the planissimo passage with great care.

Definition

1. Adverb:

   • In music, very softly: "planissimo" indicates a direction to perform a passage with the utmost softness and delicacy, typically softer than piano (soft).

2. Noun:

   • A very soft passage: "planissimo" can refer to a specific section of a musical composition that is to be played extremely quietly.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:

  • The orchestra played the final movement planissimo. (They performed it with extreme softness.)

• Noun:

  • The conductor emphasized the planissimo in the second act. (The very soft passage in the performance.)

Advanced Usage

• "planissimo possibile": as softly as possible.

  • The pianist executed the chord planissimo possibile, barely audible. (Performed with maximum softness.)

• "subito planissimo": suddenly very soft.

  • The score marked subito planissimo to create a dramatic contrast. (A sudden shift to extreme softness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Piano (adj/adv): soft or softly (less intense than planissimo).

  • The lullaby was played piano. (Softly.)

• Fortissimo (adj/adv): very loud (the opposite dynamic).

  • The climax was fortissimo. (Extremely loud.)

Synonyms

• Very softly: with minimal volume.
• Pianissimo (alternative spelling): the same meaning, often used interchangeably.

Related Idioms

• "Pianissimo pedal": colloquial term for the soft pedal on a piano, used to achieve a planissimo effect.
  • She used the pianissimo pedal for the delicate passage. (The soft pedal.)

Notes

• Etymology: From Italian , superlative of ("soft"), ultimately from Latin ("flat, even").
• Notation: Often abbreviated as in musical scores, indicating the softest dynamic level.