Italian Tempo Markings

Slow Tempo Markings

Tempo Marking Translation Beats Per Minute

Larghissimo Very, very slow 20 bpm or slower

Solenne/Grave Slow and solemn 20 - 40 bpm

Lento Slowly 40 - 60 bpm

Lentissimo At a very slow tempo 48 bpm or slower

Largo Broadly 40 - 60 bpm

Larghetto Rather broadly 60 - 66 bpm

Adagio At ease, slow and stately 66 - 76 bpm

Adagietto Rather slow 70 - 80 bpm

Tranquillo Tranquil, calmly, or peaceful 80 bpm

Andante moderato A bit slower than Andante 92 - 98 bpm

Moderate Tempo Markings

Beats Per
Tempo Marking Translation
Minute

Andante At a walking pace, moderately slow 72 - 76 bpm

Andantino Slightly faster and more light hearted than Andante 73 - 83 bpm

Moderato Moderately 108 - 120 bpm

Allegretto Moderately fast, but less than allegro 100 - 128 bpm

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Fast Tempo Markings
Beats Per
Tempo Marking Translation
Minute

Allegro moderato Moderately quick, almost Allegro 116 - 120 bpm

Allegro Fast, quickly and bright 120 - 156 bpm

Vivace Briskly, Lively and fast 156 - 176 bpm

Vivacissimo Very fast and lively, faster than Vivace 172 - 176 bpm

Allegrissimo or Allegro vivace Very Fast 172 – 176 bpm

Presto Very, very fast 168 - 200 bpm

Prestissimo Faster than Presto 200+ bpm

Sometimes you will see the tempo written in the native language of the
composer (typically French, German, or English).

French Tempo Markings

• Au mouvement - play the original or main tempo
• Grave - slowly and solemnly
• Largement - slowly
• Lento - slowly
• Modere - moderate tempo
• Rapide - fast
• Vif - lively
• Vite - fast

These two words are modifiers for tempos. You'll see them before the tempos defined
above.
Moins - less Tres - very
Take the tempo marking of vif, which means lively. Tres vif would mean very lively.
Moins vif would mean less lively.

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German Tempo Markings
• Kraftig - vigorous or powerful
• Langsam - slowly
• etwas breit
• Lebhaft - lively (mood)
• MaBig - moderately
• Rasch - quickly
• Schnell - fast
• Bewegt - animated, with motion

Terms for Changes in Tempo

Tempos will usually vary during a piece of music. This can happen gradually or all of a
sudden. Here are some musical terms you might see that indicate a change in tempo:

• Accelerando - gradual speeding up (abbreviation: accel.)

• Allargando - growing broader or decreasing in tempo
• Calando - going slower (and usually also softer)
• Doppio movimento / doppio piu mosso - double-speed
• Doppio piu lento - half-speed
• Lentando - gradually slowing, and softer
• Meno mosso - less movement; slower
• Meno moto - less motion
• Piu mosso - more movement; faster
• Mosso - movement, more lively; quicker, much like piu mosso, but
not as extreme
• Precipitando - hurrying; going faster/forward
• Rallentando (often written as rall.) - a gradual slowing down
• Ritardando (often written as rit.) - gradual slowing down
• Ritenuto - slightly slower, but achieved more immediately
• Rubato - free adjustment of (slowing) the tempo for expressive
purpose
• Stringendo - pressing on faster, literally "tightening"
• Tardando - slowing down gradually (same as ritardando)
• Tempo Giusto - very strict tempo
• Tempo Primo - resume the original tempo