The difference between _sforzando_, _rinforzando_, and _crescendo_ should now be noted: _sforzando_ indicates that a single tone or chord is to be louder; _rinforzando_, that an entire passage is to be louder, beginning with its first tone; but _crescendo_ indicates that there is to be a gradual increase in power, this increase sometimes occurring during the sounding of a single tone, but more often in a passage.
125. Certain _combinations of the word crescendo_ with other words are so common that they should be especially noted. Among these are:
_Crescendo al fortissimo_--keep on gradually increasing in power until the fortissimo (or very loud) point has been reached.
_Crescendo subito_--increase in power suddenly (or rapidly).
_Crescendo poco a poco_--increase in power very, very gradually.
_Crescendo poi diminuendo_--first increase, then diminish the tone.
_Crescendo e diminuendo_--same as _cresc. poi dim._
_Crescendo molto_--increase in power very greatly.
_Crescendo ed animando poco a poco_--growing gradually louder in tone and quicker in _tempo_.
_Crescendo ed affrettando_--gradually louder and faster. [Transcriber's Note: Corrected misspelling "affretando" in original.]
_Crescendo poco a poco sin al fine_--crescendo gradually even up to the very end.
126. _Decrescendo_ (_decresc._ or [decrescendo symbol]) means a gradual diminishing of the tone. It is the opposite of _crescendo_. The word _diminuendo_ is synonymous with _decrescendo_.
_Decrescendo_ (or _diminuendo_) _al pianissimo_ means--decrease gradually in power until the _pianissimo_ (or very soft) point is reached.
127. A number of _terms referring to both softer tone and slower tempo_ are in use. The most common of these are:--_mancando_, _moriente_,[30] _morendo_, _perdendo_ (from _perdere_--to lose), _perdendosi_, _calando_, and _smorzando_.[31] Such expressions are usually translated--"gradually dying away."
[Footnote 30: Both _moriente_ and _morendo_ mean literally--_dying_.]
[Footnote 31: From _smorzare_ (It.)--to extinguish.]
128. In piano music the abbreviation _Ped._ indicates that the damper pedal (the one at the right) is to be depressed, while the sign [damper release symbol] shows that it is to be released. In many modern editions this depression and release of the damper pedal are more accurately indicated by the sign [damper symbol].