Agitato

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. A directive in music that instructs performers to play in a lively, restless style that conveys strong emotions and excitement during a specific passage
2. A musical term used to indicate that a section should be performed with a restless and animated flair, enhancing emotional intensity and dynamism in the piece
3. A direction within a musical score that calls for a spirited and agitated manner of playing, emphasizing emotional expression and fervor in the performance

Etymology: "Agitato" is a musical direction, but its roots are plain Latin: the Italian past participle "agitato" comes from the Latin "agitatus," meaning "driven, set in motion, stirred up," the same root that gives English "agitate." In Italian the participle took on the sense of "agitated" or "troubled," and musicians adopted it to tell players to shift from calm to restless playing. Because it was borrowed directly from Italian, the word keeps the Italian spelling and pronunciation in English, and it appears in scores as a marking rather than as ordinary English prose. Its adverbial use reflects its role as a tempo or expression instruction, telling the performer how to play a passage rather than describing anything in the music itself.

Synonyms: stirred, excited