fortissimo
1 of 2adverb or adjective
for·tis·si·mo
fȯr-ˈti-sə-ˌmō 
: very loud
—used especially as a direction in music
Examples of fortissimo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2024
In the Allegretto, few conductors can resist unleashing a juggernaut of sound when the processional main theme rises to its climactic fortissimo, but here again Blomstedt held back, making sure that the countermelody in the first violins came through clearly, with its legato all aglow.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2021
But anytime a fortissimo surfaced in any of the scores it was turbocharged into the volume level of a symphony orchestra.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 5 Apr. 2022
Well after other composers were writing quadruple fortes — ffff — Brahms never ventures here beyond a classical fortissimo (ff).
—Dallas News, 8 Oct. 2022
The opening of the Tchaikovsky finale is marked just mezzo-forte, but the strings dug in with a fortissimo.
—Dallas News, 26 Mar. 2022
What there were, however, were people clapping between movements of the symphony, and at one point in the first movement at a sudden fortissimo.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2021
In hard-rock fashion, some of his scores were so loud that fortissimo was said to be marked with six F’s, instead of the usual two.
—BostonGlobe.com, 28 Sep. 2019
In hard-rock fashion, some of his scores were so loud that fortissimo was said to be marked with six Fs, instead of the usual two.
—Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2019
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Noun
An ensemble has to figure out how to hit that fortissimo and then hold it — convincingly, breathtakingly, without wearing down an audience.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2024
In the Allegretto, few conductors can resist unleashing a juggernaut of sound when the processional main theme rises to its climactic fortissimo, but here again Blomstedt held back, making sure that the countermelody in the first violins came through clearly, with its legato all aglow.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2021
But anytime a fortissimo surfaced in any of the scores it was turbocharged into the volume level of a symphony orchestra.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 5 Apr. 2022
Well after other composers were writing quadruple fortes — ffff — Brahms never ventures here beyond a classical fortissimo (ff).
—Dallas News, 8 Oct. 2022
The opening of the Tchaikovsky finale is marked just mezzo-forte, but the strings dug in with a fortissimo.
—Dallas News, 26 Mar. 2022
What there were, however, were people clapping between movements of the symphony, and at one point in the first movement at a sudden fortissimo.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2021
In hard-rock fashion, some of his scores were so loud that fortissimo was said to be marked with six F’s, instead of the usual two.
—BostonGlobe.com, 28 Sep. 2019
In hard-rock fashion, some of his scores were so loud that fortissimo was said to be marked with six Fs, instead of the usual two.
—Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2019
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Cite this Entry
“Fortissimo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortissimo. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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