What does expressivo mean in piano?
In piano music, the term "espressivo" indicates that the music should be played in an expressive manner, with great emotion and feeling. It is often used in conjunction with other performance directions, such as "con anima" (with soul) or "con passione" (with passion). When a pianist sees the word "espressivo" in the music, they are expected to play the piece with a deep understanding of the emotion behind it and to convey that emotion to the listener through their performance. This may involve using rubato (slight variations in tempo), dynamic contrasts (changes in volume), and other expressive techniques to bring the music to life.