A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Troppo

TROPPO, i.e. 'top much'; a term of the same force as Tanto; as in the finale of Beethoven's Symphony no. 4, or the first movement of his Violin Concerto—'Allegro ma non troppo'—'Allegro; but not too much so.' Tn the second movement of Mendelssohn's Scotch Symphony the direction at the head of the movement in the printed score is 'Vivace non troppo,' which looks like a caution inserted after trying the speed named in the preface on the opening fly-leaf of the same score—'Vivace assai.' It is as if he were saying 'Quick: but mind you don't go too quick, as you will inevitably be tempted to do.'

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