Poco
A small-degree modifier meaning a little
Related
Poco is a diminisher: poco allegro is more restrained than allegro, poco forte lighter than forte. It can also stand alone as "a little". In tempo changes the commonest pairing is poco a poco, "little by little".
The point of poco is gradualness, not simply a smaller target. Poco a poco accelerando asks the speed to move in many small steps rather than one jump; a poco rit. must likewise be heard as a process. It is opposite to molto and assai, and different from non troppo: the one caps a mark, while poco winds it back only slightly.
Sources
- 术语的释义与用法，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians（Oxford Music Online）相关条目；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.