A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Sciolto

by J. A. Fuller-Maitland

SCIOLTO, CON SCIOLTEZZA, 'freely'; an expression used in nearly the same sense as ad libitum, but generally applied to longer passages, or even to whole movements. It is also applied to a fugue in a free style. Thus what Beethoven, in the last movement of the Sonata in B♭, op. 106, calls 'Fuga, con alcune licenze,' might otherwise be called 'Fuga sciolta.'

[ J. A. F. M. ]