A musical composition or movement that is slower than allegro but faster than adagio; a short, slow piece.
From Italian 'adagietto,' the diminutive of 'adagio' (slowly). Entered English through musical terminology in the 19th century.
Mahler's 'Adagietto' from Symphony No. 5 became one of the most emotionally devastating pieces in classical music—composers use this 'slower-than-slow' marking to create an almost unbearable tension that pure adagio can't achieve.
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