Rubato is a musical term that means: “Rhythmic flexibility within a phrase or measure; a relaxation of strict time.” It is sometimes said that the time is “stolen” from the measure after the rubato.
I was noticing the rubato as I would swing around the center of each spiral. I could keep a steady beat or tempo, walking around the outside circles of each spiral, but when I got to the center, at the turnaround, I had to steal from the timing of the rhythm. I slowed down to make the turn and then sped up just a bit to get back to the tempo I was in.
I’ve been feeling guilty about taking time for myself after the Brahms Requiem marathon last week, when I realized that I will, as I always do, “make up” that time when I’m done with this bit of slowing down.
This is the point behind the “sprint and recover” model of thinking. Run flat out, top speed, reveling in the excitement, and then slow, rest, recover, back to the “regular” tempo. then sprint again. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
So, this is me rinsing. . .
