parlando

[ pahr-lahn-doh ]

/ pɑrˈlɑn doʊ /

sung or played as though speaking or reciting (a musical direction).

Origin of parlando

1875–80; < Italian, present participle of parlare to speak; see parle

parkway, parky, parl., parl. proc., parlance, parlando, parlary, parlay, parle, parlement, parley

He tried to imitate ordinary conversational speech with music half sung and half spoken—what came to be called "parlando."

How Music Developed |W. J. Henderson
Parlando—well accented or enunciated; applied to melody playing.

Music Notation and Terminology |Karl W. Gehrkens
His words are parlando, but the orchestra illumines them with music clear as a calcium light.

Stars of the Opera |Mabel Wagnalls
Instead of broad, flowing, but intelligible themes, a mongrel breed of recitative and parlando was to take their place.

Old Fogy |James Huneker

Tonio comes forward and announces in parlando voice that "the comedy is finished!"

Stars of the Opera |Mabel Wagnalls

parlando

/ (pɑːˈlændəʊ) /

music to be performed as though speaking

Italian: speaking, from parlare to speak