The New International Encyclopædia/Expression

EXPRESSION (Lat. expressio, from exprimere, to express). In music, the method of clearly presenting the emotional and intellectual characteristics of a work. There are a few broad rules which are generally accepted as being at the basis of expression. A crescendo movement is usually accompanied by an intensification, a diminuendo by a slight drawing back; a musical phrase is played with increasing fervor to its climax, and from that point is diminished to its end; any striking melody or rhythm in a passage should be emphasized; a modulation to a new key is accompanied by a crescendo. It is interesting to note that passages of increasing intensity generally have rising melodies, while those which show a decrease have falling. There are a number of works on the theory and practice of expression, among them: Lussy, Traité de l'expression musicale (Paris, 1873, translated into English, London, 1885; into German, Leipzig, 1886); Klauwell, Der Vortag in der Musik (Berlin, 1883); Riemann, Musikalische Dynamik und Agogik (Hamburg, 1884); Christiani, Das Verständnis im Klavierspiel (Leipzig, 1886); Haweis, Music and Morals (London, 1871).