Crescendo
noun
A gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music.
The crescendo of the orchestra's performance was exhilarating.
Often appears as...
- reach a crescendo
- gradual crescendo
Usage tips
Music
noun
Any increase in intensity or force.
The protests reached a crescendo when the police intervened.
Often appears as...
- reach a crescendo
- climactic crescendo
verb
To increase in loudness or intensity.
The orchestra crescendoed beautifully during the performance.
Often appears as...
- crescendoing music
- crescendo in volume
Usage tips
Music
noun
A gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music.
The crescendo of the orchestra's performance was exhilarating.
Often appears as...
- reach a crescendo
- gradual crescendo
Usage tips
Music
noun
Any increase in intensity or force.
The protests reached a crescendo when the police intervened.
Often appears as...
- reach a crescendo
- climactic crescendo
verb
To increase in loudness or intensity.
The orchestra crescendoed beautifully during the performance.
Often appears as...
- crescendoing music
- crescendo in volume
Usage tips
Music
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Music Dynamics
In music, 'crescendo' indicates a section should gradually get louder, often creating excitement.
The pianist’s hands flowed over the keys as the piece crescendoed.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Abrupt
A 'crescendo' is not sudden; it emphasizes a slow build-up in music or situations.
Her nervousness crescendoed as the interview time approached.
Pro Tip 3/3Culminating Point
The climax of a crescendo is often where the music or action reaches its peak.
The movie’s tension crescendoed in the final chase scene.
Pro Tip 1/3Music Dynamics
In music, 'crescendo' indicates a section should gradually get louder, often creating excitement.
The pianist’s hands flowed over the keys as the piece crescendoed.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Abrupt
A 'crescendo' is not sudden; it emphasizes a slow build-up in music or situations.
Her nervousness crescendoed as the interview time approached.
Pro Tip 3/3Culminating Point
The climax of a crescendo is often where the music or action reaches its peak.
The movie’s tension crescendoed in the final chase scene.
Pro Tip 1/3Music Dynamics
In music, 'crescendo' indicates a section should gradually get louder, often creating excitement.
The pianist’s hands flowed over the keys as the piece crescendoed.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Abrupt
A 'crescendo' is not sudden; it emphasizes a slow build-up in music or situations.
Her nervousness crescendoed as the interview time approached.
Pro Tip 3/3Culminating Point
The climax of a crescendo is often where the music or action reaches its peak.
The movie’s tension crescendoed in the final chase scene.
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Video examples
Trusting the ensemble -...
figure of fun there's no trust anymore only ridicule and I remember at the beginning of my career again and again these dismal outings with orchestras I would be going completely insane on the podium trying to engender a small-scale crescendo really just a little upsurge in volume bugger me they wouldn't give it to me I spent a lot of time in those
Video examples
Richard Baraniuk on...
is that there's an impending cut-out-the-middle-man disintermediation, that's going to be happening in the publishing industry. And it's going to reach a crescendo over the next few years, and I think that it's for our benefit, really, and for the world's benefit. OK, so what are the enablers?
Video examples
Advocating for gender...
nation states is irrevocably flawed so let me not pretend that utopia is imminent but for the first time ever there is a crescendo of hope there is a real possibility that under michelle bachelet united nations will finally and seriously address the myriad of women's
Video examples
What really matters at...
Rather, I am asking that we make space -- physical, psychic room, to allow life to play itself all the way out -- so that rather than just getting out of the way, aging and dying can become a process of crescendo through to the end.
Video examples
The Year in Ideas: TED...
asking we make space physical psychic room to allow life to play itself all the way out so that rather than just getting out of the way aging and dying can become a process of crescendo through to the end
Video examples
Racism thrives on...
Racism wants your apathy. Make a commitment now to use your voice and your privilege and your power to fight for racial justice always, and to join the crescendo of voices calling for change.
Video examples
My Daughter, Malala PIPE...
for the New York Times documentaries, and she spoke from every platform she could. And her voice was the most powerful voice. It spread like a crescendo all around the world.
Video examples
What should electric...
and then it's going to have a crescendo as the brasses, the woods will jump in, and the melody will end with a harp and a piano playing on the highest range.
Video examples
Top 5 Reindeer Moments PIPE...
after a couple of hours the aurora build to an incredible crescendo these particles from the sun have traveled nearly
Video examples
Reindeer Selfies With...
after a couple of hours they are all rebelled turn incredible crescendo
Video examples
Trusting the ensemble -...
figure of fun there's no trust anymore only ridicule and I remember at the beginning of my career again and again these dismal outings with orchestras I would be going completely insane on the podium trying to engender a small-scale crescendo really just a little upsurge in volume bugger me they wouldn't give it to me I spent a lot of time in those
Video examples
Richard Baraniuk on...
is that there's an impending cut-out-the-middle-man disintermediation, that's going to be happening in the publishing industry. And it's going to reach a crescendo over the next few years, and I think that it's for our benefit, really, and for the world's benefit. OK, so what are the enablers?
Video examples
Advocating for gender...
nation states is irrevocably flawed so let me not pretend that utopia is imminent but for the first time ever there is a crescendo of hope there is a real possibility that under michelle bachelet united nations will finally and seriously address the myriad of women's
Video examples
What really matters at...
Rather, I am asking that we make space -- physical, psychic room, to allow life to play itself all the way out -- so that rather than just getting out of the way, aging and dying can become a process of crescendo through to the end.
Video examples
The Year in Ideas: TED...
asking we make space physical psychic room to allow life to play itself all the way out so that rather than just getting out of the way aging and dying can become a process of crescendo through to the end
Video examples
Racism thrives on...
Racism wants your apathy. Make a commitment now to use your voice and your privilege and your power to fight for racial justice always, and to join the crescendo of voices calling for change.
Video examples
My Daughter, Malala PIPE...
for the New York Times documentaries, and she spoke from every platform she could. And her voice was the most powerful voice. It spread like a crescendo all around the world.
Video examples
What should electric...
and then it's going to have a crescendo as the brasses, the woods will jump in, and the melody will end with a harp and a piano playing on the highest range.
Video examples
Top 5 Reindeer Moments PIPE...
after a couple of hours the aurora build to an incredible crescendo these particles from the sun have traveled nearly
Video examples
Reindeer Selfies With...
after a couple of hours they are all rebelled turn incredible crescendo
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Isaac Hayes
American Musician
Just, you know, you can't put bread in a cold oven. You know, you've got to take your time. You've got to heat it up. So that's what, that's what I like to do with my music. I like to build it, and build it into a maddening, exciting crescendo.
Quote examples
Sinead Burke
Designer
Disability is articulated as a struggle, an unnecessary burden that one must overcome to the soundtrack of a string crescendo. But disabled lives are multi-faceted - brimming with personality, pride, ambition, love, empathy, and wit.
Quote examples
Damien Rice
Irish Musician
Each song is a small universe to me. Each song has a story of its own. Each has a full life to express in order to be complete, so it often happens that the building to a big crescendo feels right in the recording or writing process.
Quote examples
Jonathan Levine
American Director
The way 'Coming Home' uses music in general is incredible, but the final song that really kind of crescendos all of the emotion that the whole movie has kind of been building to is this song called 'Once I Was' by Tim Buckley.
Quote examples
Anders Holm
American Writer
Teenage Wildlife' is just epic. It's, like, five or six minutes long, and it kind of crescendos and builds into this insane vocal of Bowie wailing. I think I would pay $5,000 dollars to see footage of that recording session.
Quote examples
Frank Lowy
Australian Businessman
I have... been disturbed by the negative tone of the debate over immigration... there is a rising crescendo of opinion from columnists and politicians saying we should reduce our immigration intake.
Quote examples
Megyn Kelly
American Journalist
What people don't realize about Donald Trump - and I don't even know if Donald Trump realizes it - is that every tweet he unleashes against you... creates such a crescendo of anger.
Quote examples
Gene Cernan
American Astronaut
The countdown reached ten seconds and I could almost hear an invisible crescendo of stirring background music. 'Anchors aweigh!' Five, four, three, two, one... and we had ignition!
Quote examples
Jonathan Sacks
British Clergyman
I see in the rising crescendo of ethnic tensions, civilization clashes and the use of religious justification for acts of terror, a clear and present danger to humanity.
Quote examples
James Bay
British Musician
I like it when things crescendo to a huge moment like 'Hold Back the River.
Quote examples
Isaac Hayes
American Musician
Just, you know, you can't put bread in a cold oven. You know, you've got to take your time. You've got to heat it up. So that's what, that's what I like to do with my music. I like to build it, and build it into a maddening, exciting crescendo.
Quote examples
Sinead Burke
Designer
Disability is articulated as a struggle, an unnecessary burden that one must overcome to the soundtrack of a string crescendo. But disabled lives are multi-faceted - brimming with personality, pride, ambition, love, empathy, and wit.
Quote examples
Damien Rice
Irish Musician
Each song is a small universe to me. Each song has a story of its own. Each has a full life to express in order to be complete, so it often happens that the building to a big crescendo feels right in the recording or writing process.
Quote examples
Jonathan Levine
American Director
The way 'Coming Home' uses music in general is incredible, but the final song that really kind of crescendos all of the emotion that the whole movie has kind of been building to is this song called 'Once I Was' by Tim Buckley.
Quote examples
Anders Holm
American Writer
Teenage Wildlife' is just epic. It's, like, five or six minutes long, and it kind of crescendos and builds into this insane vocal of Bowie wailing. I think I would pay $5,000 dollars to see footage of that recording session.
Quote examples
Frank Lowy
Australian Businessman
I have... been disturbed by the negative tone of the debate over immigration... there is a rising crescendo of opinion from columnists and politicians saying we should reduce our immigration intake.
Quote examples
Megyn Kelly
American Journalist
What people don't realize about Donald Trump - and I don't even know if Donald Trump realizes it - is that every tweet he unleashes against you... creates such a crescendo of anger.
Quote examples
Gene Cernan
American Astronaut
The countdown reached ten seconds and I could almost hear an invisible crescendo of stirring background music. 'Anchors aweigh!' Five, four, three, two, one... and we had ignition!
Quote examples
Jonathan Sacks
British Clergyman
I see in the rising crescendo of ethnic tensions, civilization clashes and the use of religious justification for acts of terror, a clear and present danger to humanity.
Quote examples
James Bay
British Musician
I like it when things crescendo to a huge moment like 'Hold Back the River.
Example 1 of 10
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