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If you see the word rallentando written on a musical score, it\u2019s there to indicate that the musician should start to progressively play at a slower pace (or tempo). Often abbreviated to \u2018rall\u2019 on a score, rallentando is Italian for \u2018slowing down\u2019 \u2013 the opposite of accelerando.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Rallentando has the same meaning as the term ritardando (often abbreviated to \u2018rit\u2019), which also means \u2018delaying\u2019 or \u2018becoming slower\u2019, so you may see one or the other featured on a musical score.<\/p>\n When used in the middle of a piece, rallentando is likely to be followed by the term \u2018a tempo\u2019, which indicates that the original tempo of the piece should be resumed.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n You might see rallentando used at the end of a particular phrase or section of music, as this can help to signal an imminent change \u2013 it may be used to introduce a different tempo or a change in key, for example.<\/p>\n Rallentando is also often used at the end of a piece, to help bring the music to a gentle, rolling stop, rather than an abrupt halt.<\/p>\n One example of a piece that uses rallentando in these ways is C\u00e9sar Franck\u2019s Les Plaintes d\u2019une Poup\u00e9e<\/em> (The Complaints of a Doll). Franck uses rallentando to introduce a change of key from G major to G minor, as well as to bring the whole piece to a close.<\/p>\nExamples of rallentando<\/strong><\/h2>\n