A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Pesante

PESANTE, 'heavy.' This direction is as a rule only applied to music for keyed instruments, though some writers have transferred it to orchestral, or even vocal music. It indicates that the whole passage to which it refers is to be played with great firmness and in a marked manner. It differs from marcato, however, in that it applies to whole passages, which may be quite legato at the same time; while marcato refers to single, notes or isolated groups of notes, which would not as a rule be intended to be played smoothly. A good example is the opening passage, or introduction, to the 1st Ballade of Chopin (in G minor, op. 23).

[ J. A. F. M. ]