''Maestoso'' () is an Italian musical term and is used to direct performers to play a certain passage (music), passage of music in a stately, dignified and majestic fashion (sometimes march-like) or, it is used to describe music as such. ''Maestoso'' also is associated with the advent of Classical period (music), Classicism, Romantic music, Romanticism, and the newer forms of Neoclassicism (music), Neo-Classicism and Neoromanticism (music), Neo-Romanticism. The interpretation of ''maestoso'' is varied by the conductor depending upon the overall style in which the piece is written. Used as more of an interpretive choice, this term is not always associated with a specific tempo or tempo range.

Examples

The term is commonly used in relatively not fast pieces, but there are many examples, such as the first movement of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 1 (Mozart), Flute Concerto No. 1, in which a faster tempo can be played in such ''maestoso''. Common examples of ''maestoso'' tempo include Elgar's ''Land of Hope and Glory'', the first Movement (music), movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, the first movement (music), movement of both Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 6 (Bruckner), Symphony No. 6 and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven), Symphony No. 9, as well as Chopin's Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53, Polonaise in A major, Op. 53. The first movement of Johannes Brahms, Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1 (Brahms), First Piano Concerto is another example. Beethoven also indicated “Maestoso” in the first movement of his Piano Sonata Op.111 as an introduction of "Allegro". ''Maestoso'' is also used very often for parts of pieces meant to sound large, triumphant, heroic, and victorious, like the ''Olympic Fanfare and Theme'' by John Williams. The first movement of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 (Chopin), first concerto is marked ''Allegro maestoso''. The first movement of Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 (Liszt), First Piano Concerto is also marked ''Allegro maestoso''. Yet another example of this tempo marking is the opening of the musical ''Wicked (musical), Wicked'' by Stephen Schwartz (composer), Steven Schwartz. Another example of this tempo is the ''National Song'' by ''Edvard Grieg''.

References

Italian words and phrases Musical notation {{Classical-music-stub