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org/wiki/Tempo
Basic tempo markings
Here follows a list of common tempo markings. The beats per minute (bpm) values are very rough
approximations for 4
4 time.
These terms have also been used inconsistently through time and in different geographical areas. One
striking example is that Allegretto hastened as a tempo from the 18th to the 19th century: originally it
was just above Andante, instead of just below Allegro as it is now.[6] As another example, a modern
largo is slower than an adagio, but in the Baroque period it was faster.[7]
From slowest to fastest:
Larghissimo – very, very slow (24 bpm and under)
Adagissimo – very slowly
Grave – very slow (25–45 bpm)
Largo – broadly (40–60 bpm)
Lento – slowly (45–60 bpm)
Larghetto – rather broadly (60–66 bpm)
Adagio – slowly with great expression[8] (66–76 bpm)
Adagietto – slower than andante (72–76 bpm) or slightly faster than adagio (70–80 bpm)
Andante – at a walking pace (76–108 bpm)
Andantino – slightly faster than andante (although, in some cases, it can be taken to mean slightly slower
than andante) (80–108 bpm)
Marcia moderato – moderately, in the manner of a march[9][10] (83–85 bpm)
Andante moderato – between andante and moderato (thus the name) (92–112 bpm)
Moderato – at a moderate speed (108–120 bpm)
Allegretto – by the mid 19th century, moderately fast (112–120 bpm); see paragraph above for earlier
usage
Allegro moderato – close to, but not quite allegro (116–120 bpm)
Allegro – fast, quickly, and bright (120–156 bpm) (molto allegro is slightly faster than allegro, but always
in its range)
Vivace – lively and fast (156–176 bpm)
Vivacissimo – very fast and lively (172–176 bpm)
Allegrissimo or Allegro vivace – very fast (172–176 bpm)
Presto – very, very fast (168–200 bpm)
Prestissimo – even faster than presto (200 bpm and over)
Additional terms
A piacere – the performer may use his or her own discretion with regard to tempo and rhythm; literally
"at pleasure"[11]
Con moto – Italian for "with movement"; can be combined with a tempo indication, e.g., Allegro con
moto
Assai – (very) much
A tempo – resume previous tempo
L'istesso, L'istesso tempo, or Lo stesso tempo – at the same speed; L'istesso is used when the actual
speed of the music has not changed, despite apparent signals to the contrary, such as changes in time
signature or note length (half notes in 4
4 could change to whole notes in 2
2, and they would all have the same duration)[12][13]
Ma non tanto - but not so much; used in the same way and has the same effect as Ma non troppo (see
immediately below) but to a lesser degree
Ma non troppo - but not too much; used to modify a basic tempo to indicate that the basic tempo
should be reined in to a degree, for example Adagio ma non troppo to mean Slow but not too slow,
Allegro ma non troppo to mean Fast but not too fast
Molto – very
Poco – a little
Subito – suddenly
Tempo comodo – at a comfortable (normal) speed
Tempo di... – the speed of a ... (such as Tempo di valzer (speed of a waltz, . ≈ 60 bpm), Tempo di marcia
(speed of a march, ≈ 120 bpm))
Tempo giusto – at a consistent speed, at the 'right' speed, in strict tempo
Tempo semplice – simple, regular speed, plainly
Tempo primo – resume the original (first) tempo
