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In

In classical music, tempo is usually indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often using conventional Italian terms). Tempo is usually measured in by beats per minute (BPM). In modern classical compositions a "metronome mark" in beats per minute may supplement or replace the normal tempo marking, while in modern genres like electronic dance music tempo will simply be stated in BPM.

Tempo may be separated from articulation and metre, or these aspects may be indicated along with tempo, all contributing to the overall texture. While the ability to hold a steady tempo is a vital skill for a musical performer, tempo is changeable. Depending on the genre of a piece of music and the performers' interpretation, a piece may be played with slight tempo rubato or drastic accelerando. In ensembles, the tempo is often indicated by a conductor or by one of the instrumentalists, for instance the drummer.

Measuring tempo

120 bpm tempo

120 bpm tempo

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While tempo is described or indicated in many different ways, it is only measured in beats per minute (bpm). For example, a tempo of 60 beats per minute signifies one beat per second, while a tempo of 120 beats per minute is twice as rapid, signifying one beat every 0.5 seconds. The

This measurement of tempo became increasingly popular during the first half of the 19th century, after the

With the advent of modern electronics, bpm became an extremely precise measure. Music sequencers use the bpm system to denote tempo.^{[citation needed]}

Instead of beats per minute, some 20th-century composers (e.g., Béla Bartók, Alberto Ginastera, and John Cage) specify the total playing time for a piece, from which the performer can derive tempo.^{[citation needed]}

Tempo is as crucial in contemporary music as it is in classical. In electronic dance music, accurate knowledge of a tune's bpm is important to DJs for the purposes of beatmatching.^{[citation needed]}

Musical vocabulary for tempo

In classical music it is customary to describe the tempo of a piece by one or more words, most commonly in Italian, in addition to or instead of a metronome mark in beats per minute. Italian is typically used because it was the language of most composers during the time these descriptions became commonplace.^[2]

This practice developed during the 17th and 18th centuries, the

Many tempo markings also indicate mood and expression. For example, presto and allegro both indicate a speedy execution (presto being faster), but allegro also connotes joy (from its original meaning in Italian). Presto, on the other hand, simply indicates speed. Additional Italian words also indicate tempo and mood. For example, the "agitato" in the Allegro agitato of the last movement of George Gershwin's piano concerto in F has both a tempo indication (undoubtedly faster than a usual Allegro) and a mood indication ("agitated").

Often, composers (or

Often a particular musical form or genre implies its own tempo, so composers need place no further explanation in the score.^{[citation needed]} Popular music charts use terms such as bossa nova, ballad, and Latin rock in much the same way.^{[original research?]}

Basic tempo markings

Here follows a list of common tempo markings. The beats per minute (bpm) values are very rough approximations. In practice a musician will always follow their judgement on how to tackle the musical and technical demands of a piece, rather than look up a value in a table such as this one.

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.^[5] As another example, a modern largo is slower than an adagio, but in the Baroque period it was faster.^[6]

From slowest to fastest:

• Larghissimo – very, very slow (24 bpm (beats per minute in a ⁴
  ₄ time) and under)
• Grave – very slow (25–45 bpm)
• Largo – broadly (40–60 bpm)
• Lento – slowly (45–60 bpm)
• Larghetto – rather broadly (60–66 bpm)
• Adagio – slow and stately (literally, "at ease") (66–76 bpm)
• Adagietto – slower than andante (72–76 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^[7][8] (83–85 bpm)
• Andante moderato – between andante and moderato (thus the name andante moderato) (92–112 bpm)
• Moderato – moderately (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 (120–168 bpm) (molto allegro is slightly faster than allegro, but always in its range)
• Vivace – lively and fast (168–176 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)

Terms for tempo change:

• Rallentando – gradually slowing down
• Ritardando – gradually slowing down (but not as much as rallentando)
• Ritenuto – immediately slowing down
• Stringendo – gradually speeding up (slowly)
• Accelerando – gradually speeding up (quickly)

Additional terms

• A piacere – the performer may use his or her own discretion with regard to tempo and rhythm; literally "at pleasure"^[9]
• 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)^[10][11]
• Tempo comodo – at a comfortable (normal) speed
• Tempo di... – the speed of a ... (such as Tempo di valse (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

Common qualifiers

• alla – in the manner or style of, as in:
  • alla breve – in short style, i.e., duple time, with the half note (minim) rather than the quarter note (crotchet) as the beat; cut time; ²
    ₂ instead of ⁴
    ₄; often marked as (see Time signature)
  • alla marcia – in the manner of a march^[12] (e.g., Beethoven, op. 101)
  • all' ongarese – in Hungarian style
  • alla (danza) tedesca – in the style of the Ländler (c. 1800), and similar dances in rather quick triple metre (see Beethoven, op. 79, op. 130)^[13]
  • alla turca – in the Turkish style, that is, in imitation of Turkish military music (Janissary music), which became popular in Europe in the late 18th century (e.g., Mozart, K. 331, K. 384)
  • alla zingarese – in the style of Gypsy music
• assai – very much, as in allegro assai, quite fast^[14]
• ben – well, as in ben marcato (well marked or accented)
• con – with, as in:
  • con bravura – with skill^{[15][full citation needed]}
  • con brio – with vigor and spirit^[16]
  • con dolcezza – with softness; delicately^[17]
  • con fuoco – with fire
  • con moto – with motion
• deciso – decidedly, decisively
• fugato – in fugal style, usually part of a non-fugal composition; such passages often occur in the development sections of symphonies, sonatas, and quartets^[18]
• in modo – in the manner of, in the style of: in modo napolitano (in
  Neapolitan
  style), in modo di marcia funebre (in the manner of a funeral march)
• meno – less, as in meno mosso (less quickly)^[19]
• appena – almost none, as in appena forte (almost not at all loud)
• misterioso – mysterious
• molto – much, very, as in molto allegro (very quick) or molto adagio (very slow)^[20]
• non troppo – not too much, e.g. allegro non troppo (or allegro ma non troppo) means "fast, but not too much"
• non tanto – not so much
• più – more, as in più allegro (more quickly); used as a relative indication when the tempo changes
• piuttosto – rather, as in piuttosto allegro (rather quick)^[21]
• poco – slightly, little, as in Poco adagio
• poco a poco – little by little
• polacca – generic name for Polish dances, usually the
  Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 shows little resemblance to the polonaise^[22]
• primo – principal or early, as in tempo primo, the same tempo as at the beginning
• quasi – almost, nearly, as if (such as Più allegro quasi presto, "faster, as if presto")
• senza – without, as in senza interruzione (without interruption or pause), senza tempo or senza misura (without strict measure)[23]
• sostenuto – sustained, prolonged
• subito – suddenly

Note: In addition to the common allegretto, composers freely apply Italian

Some markings that primarily mark a mood (or character) also have a tempo connotation:

• Affettuoso
  – with feeling/emotion
• Agitato
  – agitated, with implied quickness
• Appassionato
  – to play passionately
• Animato – animatedly, lively
• Brillante – sparkling, glittering, as in Allegro brillante, Rondo brillante, or Variations brillantes; became fashionable in titles for virtuoso pieces^[24]
• Bravura – bravely; a brilliant and indulgent demonstration of skill^[25]
• Cantabile – in singing style (lyrical and flowing)
• Calando – dying away, slowing, diminishing
• Caloroso - heart-warming
• Cataclismico – very loud, short
• Dolce – sweetly
• Dolcissimo – very sweetly and delicately
• Dolente - sadly, sorrowfully
• Energico – energetic, strong, forceful
• Eroico – heroically
• Espressivo
  – expressively
• Furioso – to play in an angry or furious manner
• Giocoso
  – merrily, funny
• Gioioso – joyfully
• Grandioso – magnificently, grandly
• Grazioso – gracefully
• Incalzando – encouraging, building
• Lacrimoso
  – tearfully, sadly
• Lamentoso – lamenting, mournfully
• Leggiero
  – to play lightly, or with light touch
• Leggiadro – lightly and gracefully
• Maestoso – majestic or stately (which generally indicates a solemn, slow march-like movement)
• Malinconico – melancholic
• Marcato – marching tempo, marked with emphasis
• Marziale – in a march style, usually in simple, strongly marked rhythm and regular phrases
• Mesto – sad, mournful
• Misterioso – mystical, in a shady manner
• Morendo
  – dying
• Nobilmente – nobly (in a noble way)
• Patetico – with great emotion
• Pesante – heavily
• Pomposo – dignified, in grand style
• Saltando
  – jumpy, fast, and short
• Scherzando – playfully
• Smorzando – dying away, decreasing to nothing in both speed and dynamic
• Sospirando – listless, with little energy; almost indifferent; as if sighing
• Sostenuto
  – sustained, with a slowing of tempo
• Spiccato – slow sautillé, with a bouncy manner
• Tenerezza – tenderness
• Tranquillamente – adverb of tranquillo, "calmly"
• Trionfante – triumphantly
• Vivace – lively and fast, over 140 bpm (which generally indicates a fast movement)

Terms for change in tempo

Composers may use expressive marks to adjust the tempo:

• Accelerando – speeding up (abbreviation: accel.)
• Allargando – growing broader; decreasing tempo, usually near the end of a piece
• Calando – going slower (and usually also softer)
• Doppio movimento / doppio più mosso – double speed
• Doppio più lento – half speed
• Lentando – gradual slowing and softer
• Meno mosso – less movement or slower
• Mosso – movement, more lively, or quicker, much like più mosso, but not as extreme
• Più mosso – more movement or faster
• Precipitando – hurrying, going faster/forward
• Rallentando – gradual slowing down (abbreviation: rall.)
• Ritardando – slowing down gradually; also see rallentando and ritenuto (abbreviations: rit., ritard.)
• Ritenuto – slightly slower, but achieved more immediately than ritardando or rallentando; a sudden decrease in tempo; temporarily holding back.^[26] (Note that the abbreviation for ritenuto can also be rit. Thus a more specific abbreviation is riten. Also sometimes ritenuto does not reflect a tempo change but a character change instead.)
• Rubato
  – free adjustment of tempo for expressive purposes (literally "theft", so more strictly, take time from one beat to slow another)
• Stretto – in faster tempo, often near the conclusion of a section. (Note that in fugal compositions, the term stretto refers to the imitation of the subject in close succession, before the subject is completed, and as such, suitable for the close of the fugue.^[27] Used in this context, the term is not necessarily related to tempo.)
• Stringendo – pressing on faster (literally "tightening")
• Tardando – slowing down gradually (same as ritardando)^[28]

While the base tempo indication (such as allegro) appears in large type above the staff, these adjustments typically appear below the staff or (in the case of keyboard instruments) in the middle of the grand staff.

They generally designate a gradual change in tempo; for immediate tempo shifts, composers normally just provide the designation for the new tempo. (Note, however, that when Più mosso or Meno mosso appears in large type above the staff, it functions as a new tempo, and thus implies an immediate change.) Several terms, e.g., assai, molto, poco, subito, control how large and how gradual a change should be (see common qualifiers).

After a tempo change, a composer may return to a previous tempo in two different ways:

• a tempo – returns to the base tempo after an adjustment (e.g. ritardando ... a tempo undoes the effect of the ritardando).
• Tempo primo or Tempo I^o – denotes an immediate return to the piece's original base tempo after a section in a different tempo (e.g. Allegro ... Lento ... Moderato ... Tempo I^o indicates a return to the Allegro). This indication often functions as a structural marker in pieces in binary form.

These terms also indicate an immediate, not a gradual, tempo change. Although they are Italian, composers typically use them even if they have written their initial tempo marking in some other language.

French tempo markings

Several composers have written markings in French, among them baroque composers

• Au mouvement – play the (first or main) tempo.
• Grave – slowly and solemnly
• Lent – slowly
• Modéré – at a moderate tempo
• Moins – less, as in Moins vite (less fast)
• Rapide – fast
• Très – very, as in Très vif (very lively)
• Vif – lively
• Vite – fast

Erik Satie was known to write extensive tempo (and character) markings by defining them in a poetical and literal way, as in his Gnossiennes.^[29]

German tempo markings

Many composers have used

• Langsam – slowly
• Lebhaft – lively (mood)
• Mäßig – moderately
• Rasch – quickly
• Schnell – fast
• Bewegt – animated, with motion^[30]

One of the first German composers to use tempo markings in his native language was Ludwig van Beethoven. The one using the most elaborate combined tempo and mood markings was probably Gustav Mahler. For example, the second movement of his Symphony No. 9 is marked Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländlers, etwas täppisch und sehr derb, indicating a slowish folk-dance-like movement, with some awkwardness and much vulgarity in the execution. Mahler would also sometimes combine German tempo markings with traditional Italian markings, as in the first movement of his sixth symphony, marked Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig (Energetically quick, but not too much. Violent, but vigorous^[31]).

English tempo markings

Tom Lehrer's anthology Too Many Songs by Tom Lehrer, uses fake English tempo markings to humorous effect. For example, Lehrer specifies that the song National Brotherhood Week should be played "fraternally," We Will All Go Together be played "eschatologically," and Masochism Tango be played "painstakingly."

Extreme tempo

More extreme tempos are achievable at the same underlying tempo with very fast drum patterns, often expressed as

Beatmatching is a technique

DJs often beatmatch the underlying tempos of recordings, rather than their strict bpm value suggested by the kick drum, particularly when dealing with high tempo tracks. A 240 bpm track, for example, matches the beat of a 120 bpm track without slowing down or speeding up, because both have an underlying tempo of 120 quarter notes per minute. Thus, some soul music (around 75–90 bpm) mixes well with a drum and bass beat (from 150–185 bpm).

When speeding up or slowing down a record on a turntable, the pitch and tempo of a track are linked: spinning a disc 10% faster makes both pitch and tempo 10% higher. Software processing to change the pitch without changing the tempo, or vice versa, is called

The speed of a piece of music can also be gauged according to bars per minute (mpm) or bars per minute, the number of bars of the piece performed in one minute. This measure is commonly used in ballroom dance music.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• A capriccio
• Alla breve
• As Slow as Possible
• Bell pattern
• Half-time (music)
• Multitemporal music
• Stop-time

References