Meaning & use
animato music
Last updated
Meaning
phraseuncountablemusictechnical
Music played in a lively, animated style, often faster or with more energy than the surrounding music.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable phrase; you can say 'play animato music' but not 'an animato music'.
Patterns
- play animato music
- animato passage
- marked animato
The conductor asked the orchestra to play the final section as animato music.
In this piece, the animato music contrasts with the slow, calm opening.
The score is marked 'animato' to show that the music should become more lively.
Common combinations
- animato passage
- The animato passage requires nimble fingers.
- play animato
- The pianist chose to play the coda animato.
- marked animato
- The movement is marked animato in the score.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lively
- A general adjective for energetic music; 'animato' is a specific musical direction found in scores.
- allegro
- Allegro means fast and bright, while animato emphasizes an animated, spirited character rather than just speed.
Opposites
Word family
- animato adverb
- The Italian musical term used alone as a direction, meaning 'in a lively manner'.
Commonly confused: animato music or animate?
animato music vs animate
To 'animate' means to give life or energy to something; 'animato' is a musical performance direction.
Practice
The conductor told the strings to play the ending ______, with more energy.
Choose one answer.
'Animato' is the correct musical direction meaning lively. 'Animated' is an adjective describing something full of life, but it is not the standard musical term here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “animato music”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.