What does rubato mean in music?

rubato means "with some freedom of time".

What type of musical term is rubato?

rubato is a expression & other terms term — see the Theory Practice glossary for the rest of the expression & other terms word list.

What grade is rubato tested in?

rubato first appears at Grade 4 in ABRSM, AMEB and Trinity music theory exams, and stays in the syllabus for every grade above that.

Music theory · Musical terms · Expression & other terms

rubato — meaning in music

rubato is a musical term meaning with some freedom of time. It is a expression & other terms marking, first tested at Grade 4 in ABRSM, AMEB and Trinity music theory exams. From that grade on, every written paper expects you to know it on sight.

Definition

with some freedom of time

Expression & other termsFirst tested: Grade 4

Translations

French	avec une certaine liberté de temps
German	mit etwas Zeitfreiheit
Italian	con una certa libertà di orario
Spanish	con cierta libertad de tiempo
Chinese	有一定的时间自由

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All expression & other terms terms

8va ad libitum agitato animato assai ben cantabile con anima con brio con fuoco con moto dolce espressivo giocoso grazioso l.h.lacrimoso lamentoso leggiero loco maestoso meno molto nobilmente patetico pesante più poco poco a poco r.h.religioso risoluto rubato scherzando semplice sempre senza simile solenne subito tranquillo trionfale