What does rubato mean?
Rubato is a musical performance style in which performers vary the pace of a piece or passage to create expressive effect. Rather than following the written rhythm rigidly, the performer may slow down, speed up, or otherwise shift the timing while preserving an underlying pulse or structure. This freedom can make a phrase sound more natural, intimate, dramatic, or conversational. Rubato is especially associated with Western classical music, where it may describe either a broad approach to performance or a particular passage handled with expressive flexibility. It should not be confused with ad libitum, which more broadly indicates permission to depart from a strict tempo or accompaniment. The term is normally a noun, and it is also used as a modifier, as in “played with rubato.” Its metaphorical use extends to any delivery in which expressive variation takes precedence over mechanical regularity.
nounA style of musical performance in which the tempo is varied flexibly to enhance expression, often while retaining an underlying pulse or formal structure. It can also refer to a passage or performance marked by this expressive freedom.
- The expressive use of flexible timing in a musical performance.
- A musical passage or performance characterized by such flexible timing.
"The pianist's subtle rubato gave the slow movement an intimate, conversational character."
"The conductor encouraged the soloists to use rubato in the final phrase."
"A touch of rubato in the accompaniment prevented the lullaby from sounding mechanically regular."
Rare in English; the plural is chiefly needed when referring to several separately identifiable instances or examples of the practice.
"The article compares the rubatos of several renowned performers."
The name rubato comes from Italian for “stolen”: the performer takes expressive liberties with the score without losing the sense of the underlying pulse.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of rubato
The word comes from Italian rubato, the past participle of rubare, meaning “stolen.” In the musical expression tempo rubato, the idea is that the performer has “stolen” time, taking liberties with the written tempo. Italian rubare is related to a broader Latin root meaning “to seize” or “take by force,” which also underlies English words such as rob and rapacious.
How rubato is actually used
In music, rubato is usually a stylistic description rather than a direction to disregard the composer’s intended pulse. It is common in discussion of classical performance, though the term is also used more broadly for expressive and deliberately varied delivery in other performance contexts.
Easily confused with rubato
Ad libitum indicates freedom from a strictly prescribed tempo or accompaniment, whereas rubato specifically describes expressive variation in timing within an otherwise recognizable framework.