Advertisement

Advertisement

rubato

[ roo-bah-toh; Italian roo-bah-taw ]

adjective

  1. having certain notes arbitrarily lengthened while others are correspondingly shortened, or vice versa.


noun

, plural ru·ba·tos, ru·ba·ti [roo-, bah, -tee, r, oo-, bah, -tee].
  1. a rubato phrase or passage.
  2. a rubato performance.

adverb

  1. in a rubato manner.

rubato

/ ruːˈbɑːtəʊ /

noun

  1. flexibility of tempo in performance
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


adjective

  1. to be played with a flexible tempo
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubato1

1880–85; < Italian ( tempo ) rubato stolen (time), past participle of rubare to steal < Germanic; rob
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubato1

C19: from the Italian phrase tempo rubato , literally: stolen time, from rubare to rob
Discover More

Example Sentences

Let us try if it is not possible to obtain a clearer notion of this mysterious tempo rubato.

Above all, however, we have to keep in mind that the tempo rubato is a genus which comprehends numerous species.

One seems to see the expression marks: piano, pianissimo, largamente, and just where the tempo rubato comes in.

His delicate pianissimo, the ever-changing modifications of tone and time (tempo rubato) were of indescribable effect.

The player was afterward highly extolled on account of his wonderful rubato effects.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


rubasserubber