Scan 113
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians: ed. by J. A. Fuller …, Volume 1, 1911
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1ANDAMENTO
3three or four notes, culled from the subject, or one of its counter-subjects, is a mere point of imitation, introduced for the purpose of adding interest to the composition, binding it more closely together, or establishing a more intimate correspondence of style between its various sections.
5A fugue developed from a well-considered Andamento must, of necessity, be a lengthy one. A fine instance of an Andamento consisting of two distinct sections will be found in the second portion of the chorus, 'When his loud voice,' in Handel's 'Jephthah,' at the words 'They now contract.'
7(a) (b)
9They now contract their boistrous Pride, and lash with
11The 'Amen Chorus,' in the 'Messiah,' affords another equally fine example, in which the two sections, though distinctly separated, are not so strongly contrasted with each other.
13(a) (b)
15On the other hand, in the chorus, 'Righteous Heaven,' in 'Susanna,' the subject introduced at the words, 'Tremble guilt,' though phrased in three divisions which admit of distinct breathing-places between them, is very nearly homogeneous in its general character.
17Nearly all the fugues in Sebastian Bach's 'Wohltemperirtes Clavier' are formed upon Soggetti; while nearly all his finest organ fugues, with pedal obbligato, are developed from long and well-sustained Andamenti. A curious instance, in two sections, will be found in the fugue in E major from the third toccata (B.-G. vol. xv. p. 278).
19In the well-known organ fugue in G minor, the construction of the Andamento is a miracle of melodic skill:—
21etc.
23One of the finest Andamenti to be found among fugues of later date is that which forms the subject of the 'Zauberflöte' overture. Another forms the theme of the first of Mendelssohn's Six Fugues for the pianoforte (op. 35).
25Andamenti may be found both in real and tonal fugue; the examples are, however, much more frequent in the former than in the latter. The Andamento is frequently used in combination, both with the Soggetto and the Attacco; and either, or both of them, may occasionally be found in combination with a Canto fermo. The 'Hallelujah Chorus' is developed from a Canto fermo adapted to the words, 'For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth,' a Soggetto, 'And He shall reign for ever and ever,' and a constantly-varying Attacco, 'Hallelujah,' which, under a multitude of changing forms, serves to bind the powerfully-contrasted elements of the composition into a consistent whole.
27Sebastian Bach's Choral Vorspiel, 'Wir glauben all' an einen Gott,' is based upon a Canto fermo, an Andamento, and a Soggetto.
29The Canto fermo.
31The Andamento.
33The Soggetto.
35etc.
37In this case, the Canto fermo, were it not for the fact that it is an old ecclesiastical melody, and not an original theme, might be technically described as the true Soggetto, and the Soggetto as a counter-Subject, the office of which it performs throughout the entire composition. It should be mentioned that some German authorities use the term as equivalent to what we call episodes (see ATTACCO, and SOGGETTO). W. S. R.
39ANDANTE (Ital., participle of the verb andare, 'to go'). Going, moving along at a moderate pace. In modern music this word is chiefly used to designate a rather slow rate of movement; formerly however it was used more generally in its literal sense. Thus in Handel's music we frequently find the indication 'andante allegro,' a contradiction in terms in the modern sense of the words, but meaning nothing more than 'moving briskly.' Andante is a quicker rate of movement than larghetto, but on the other hand is slower than allegretto. As with most other time-indications it is frequently modified in meaning by the addition of other words, e.g. 'andante sostenuto' would be a little slower, and 'andante un poco allegretto' or 'andante con moto' a trifle faster, than 'andante' alone. Like adagio, largo, etc., this word is also used as the name of a piece of music (e.g. Beethoven's 'Andante in F') or as the name of a slow movement of a symphony, sonata, etc.
41E. P.
43ANDANTINO (Ital.). The diminutive of ANDANTE (q.v.). As 'andante' means literally 'going,' its diminutive must mean 'rather going,' i.e. not going quite so fast; and properly 'andantino' designates a somewhat slower time than andante. The majority of modern composers however, forgetting the original meaning of the word, and thinking of andante as equivalent with 'slow,' use andantino for 'rather slow,' i.e. somewhat quicker. In which sense the word is intended can only be determined by the character of the music itself. No more striking proof of the uncertainty which prevails in the use of these time-indications can be given than is to be found in the fact that three movements in Mendelssohn's 'Elijah,' the first of which, 'If with
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