Which tempo marking indicates Broadening; gradually slower?

Which tempo marking indicates Broadening; gradually slower?

• A. Adagio
• B. Allargando
• C. Allegro
• D. Allegretto

Answer: (B)

Allargando means broadening in both tempo and character. When you see it, the music should slow down gradually and feel more expansive—note values stretch a bit, the phrasing widens, and the overall pace broadens rather than staying strict and bite-sized. That combination of slowing and expanding is why this marking is the one that indicates Broadening; gradually slower. Adagio is simply a slow tempo, without an instruction to broaden or slow within the phrase. Allegro and Allegretto point to faster speeds, not a broadening effect, so they don’t convey the gradual broadening in tempo.

Allargando means broadening in both tempo and character. When you see it, the music should slow down gradually and feel more expansive—note values stretch a bit, the phrasing widens, and the overall pace broadens rather than staying strict and bite-sized. That combination of slowing and expanding is why this marking is the one that indicates Broadening; gradually slower.

Adagio is simply a slow tempo, without an instruction to broaden or slow within the phrase. Allegro and Allegretto point to faster speeds, not a broadening effect, so they don’t convey the gradual broadening in tempo.