Which term means gradually slower and broader?

• A. Allargando
• B. Acoustics
• C. a poco a poco
• D. Allegro

Answer: (A)

In music notation, terms that describe tempo and character tell you how the music should feel in time. Allargando signals a change toward a broader, slower pace—you ease off the tempo and let the phrase unfold with a wider, more expansive feel. This combination of slowing and broadening is what the term conveys, often making the music stretch out and breathe more fully. Acoustics is the science of sound and not a tempo instruction, so it doesn’t fit. A poco a poco means gradually, but it’s a general cue that doesn’t specify slowing and broadening by itself. Allegro means fast and lively, which is the opposite of what’s described. So the term that best matches gradually slower and broader is allargando.