A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mancando
Appearance
MANCANDO, 'failing,' or 'weak,' is used to denote a decrescendo, or lessening of tone, in an already soft passage. It occurs in the Scherzo of Beethoven's Pianoforte Sonata in E♭, op. 7, in the last variation of the Sonata in A♭, op. 26, and in the slow movement of the Quartet, op. 59, No. 2. It is also much used by Schumann and Chopin, and is almost always found in slow movements, although the first instance cited from Beethoven is an exception.
[ J. A. F. M. ]