rubato explained
techniquesroo-BAH-to
The expressive flexibility of tempo in which some beats are slightly lengthened and others shortened, while the underlying pulse remains steady
True rubato, as understood in the Romantic era, involves a push-and-pull of time: the melody lingers on expressive notes and hurries through others while the accompaniment maintains a steady beat underneath. This creates a sense of the melody floating above the rhythm, giving the music a spontaneous, speech-like quality. Chopin was the supreme master of rubato, and his student Mikuli described it as a tree whose branches sway in the wind while the trunk stays firm.