mässig
German composer
Definition
Moderate; restrained. Appears frequently in Hindemith's tempo markings — \"mässig bewegt\" (moderately moving), \"mässig schnell\" (moderately fast) — indicating a tempo that is neither slow nor rushed. The qualifier \"mässig\" signals that drive and momentum should be contained rather than projected, consistent with Hindemith's general aesthetic of formal discipline over Romantic abandon.
Interpretive Guidance
\"Mässig\" is a character as much as a tempo: measured, controlled, purposeful. Avoid making mässig passages merely neutral or background — they carry the same compositional weight as faster or slower sections.