nobilmente
dynamicsno-BEEL-men-tay
A performance direction meaning nobly, with dignity and stately bearing
Nobilmente is particularly associated with English music and the work of Edward Elgar, who used it as a near-personal motto. It calls for a broad, dignified performance with warm but restrained emotion, a sense of moral seriousness, and unhurried phrasing. The tone should be rich and singing, the rhythm steady without rigidity, and the dynamic range full but never harsh. It represents an ideal of music as the expression of character rather than mere display.