Lontano
/lonˈtɑːnoʊ/noun
A musical direction meaning to play as if from a distance or remotely.
Did you know?Lontano belongs to the Italian tradition of musical directions, where performers are instructed to create the illusion of physical distance through tone, dynamics, and resonance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dlonghos
“Long; extended in space”
Classical Latin
Latin
longus
“Long, far-reaching, or distant”
Late Latin
Latin
longitanus
“Distant or belonging to a far-off place”
Medieval Italian
Italian
lontano
“Far away, remote, or distant”
19th Century
Italian
lontano
“A musical instruction to perform as though from a distance”
Modern English
English
lontano
“A borrowed musical term indicating a distant or remote effect”