Quasi
As if, almost" — quasi una fantasia means "like a fantasia
Related
Quasi ("as if, almost") is an Italian modifier: quasi una fantasia is "like a fantasia", quasi recitativo "like recitative". It does not change the form; it signals character and manner.
It differs from a real genre label: a sonata marked quasi una fantasia is still a sonata, but one movement should carry the free manner of a fantasia. The usual mistake is to read quasi as "is" — it means "almost, not quite"; hear whether it seems like it, not whether it is it.
Read deeper → fantasia
Sources
- quasi 作为体裁/性格修饰语的用法，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Quasi"；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.