poco

dynamicsPOH-kohfrom Italian

An Italian musical term meaning "a little," used to moderate the degree of a musical direction.‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍

In Depth

Poco softens whatever instruction it modifies, indicating that the change should be slight or gradual.‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍ "Poco a poco" (little by little) is one of the most common compound markings in music, as in "poco a poco crescendo" (gradually getting louder by small degrees). "Poco ritardando" means a slight slowing, while "poco forte" suggests a moderate loudness rather than full forte. The term is invaluable for composers seeking nuance and subtlety in performance directions. Where a simple "crescendo" might prompt a dramatic volume increase, "poco a poco crescendo" instructs the performer to build so gradually that the change is almost imperceptible from moment to moment. This kind of refined dynamic control is essential in chamber music and art song, where excessive changes can overwhelm intimate textures.

Did you know?

The phrase "poco a poco" appears so frequently in scores that many performers instinctively read it as a single compound word rather than three separate ones.