sostenuto

Sustained. An instruction to hold notes to their full written value and beyond — implying a legato of exceptional continuity, where notes are connected not merely without gap but with the sensation of being held and supported through their entire duration. In Dussek's marking \"Molto adagio e sostenuto\" (Op. 44, second movement) it signals the most sustained, poised playing imaginable: harmonies hanging in the air, a tone that does not decay.

Sostenuto requires careful pedal management: the damper pedal supports the sustained quality, but overuse will blur inner voices. On the modern piano, use the sustain pedal sensitively and consider partial releases between phrases to maintain clarity. The left hand — which in Dussek's slow movements often carries important inner voices — must be as sustained as the melody. Play through the full key travel, not just to the surface, to achieve genuine sustain.