lilt
English composer
Definition
A natural, swinging rhythmic buoyancy in folk-influenced melody; a quality Grainger prized and frequently notated through his flexible barring and phrase markings.
Interpretive Guidance
A lilt is felt, not counted. Allow the phrase to breathe and move slightly ahead of or behind the beat where the music naturally leans — Grainger's notation is a guide, not a straitjacket.