Classical Music - Tempo Markings
Italian Tempo Markings - (listed alphabetically)
Usually each movement or a piece will have one or two tempo markings which may also be accompanied by modifiers and mood markings.
Adagietto — rather slow Adagio — slow and stately (literally, "at ease") Adagissimo — very, very slow Agitato — hurried, restless Allegramente — quicker Allegretto grazioso — moderately fast and gracefully Allegretto — moderately fast (but less so than allegro) Allegrissimo — very fast (though slower than presto) Allegro — fast and bright or "march tempo" Allegro appassionato — fast and passionately Allegro ma non troppo — fast but not too much Allegro moderato — moderately quick Andante — at a walking pace Andante Moderato — a bit faster than andante Andantino – slightly faster than andante Grave — slow and solemn Largamente — very, very, very slow Larghetto — rather broadly Larghissimo — very, very slow Largo — very slow, like lento Lentamente — slowly Lentissimo — extremely slow, but not as slow as larghissimo Lento — very slow Lento assai — even more slowly than lento Lento Moderato — moderately slow Moderato — moderately Moderato espressivo — moderately with expression Prestissimo — extremely fast Presto — very fast Rapido — rapidly Veloce — with velocity, speedily Vivace — lively and fast Vivacissimo — very quick, faster than vivace Vivo — lively and fast
Note: In addition to the common allegretto, composers freely apply Italian diminutive and superlative suffixes to various tempo indications i.e.: adagietto, andantino, larghetto, and larghissimo. By adding the -issimo ending the word is amplified, by adding the -ino ending the word is diminished, and by adding the -etto ending the word is endeared.
Adagietto — rather slow Adagio — slow and stately (literally, "at ease") Adagissimo — very, very slow Agitato — hurried, restless Allegramente — quicker Allegretto grazioso — moderately fast and gracefully Allegretto — moderately fast (but less so than allegro) Allegrissimo — very fast (though slower than presto) Allegro — fast and bright or "march tempo" Allegro appassionato — fast and passionately Allegro ma non troppo — fast but not too much Allegro moderato — moderately quick Andante — at a walking pace Andante Moderato — a bit faster than andante Andantino – slightly faster than andante Grave — slow and solemn Largamente — very, very, very slow Larghetto — rather broadly Larghissimo — very, very slow Largo — very slow, like lento Lentamente — slowly Lentissimo — extremely slow, but not as slow as larghissimo Lento — very slow Lento assai — even more slowly than lento Lento Moderato — moderately slow Moderato — moderately Moderato espressivo — moderately with expression Prestissimo — extremely fast Presto — very fast Rapido — rapidly Veloce — with velocity, speedily Vivace — lively and fast Vivacissimo — very quick, faster than vivace Vivo — lively and fast
Note: In addition to the common allegretto, composers freely apply Italian diminutive and superlative suffixes to various tempo indications i.e.: adagietto, andantino, larghetto, and larghissimo. By adding the -issimo ending the word is amplified, by adding the -ino ending the word is diminished, and by adding the -etto ending the word is endeared.
M o d i f i e r s
accentato — accented; with emphasis assai — very (e.g. Adagio assai) cantabile — in singing style (lyrical and flowing) con — with (e.g. Andante con moto, "at a walking pace with motion") l'istesso tempo — at the same speed ma non troppo — but not too much marcato — marching tempo, marked with emphasis meno — less, as in meno presto molto — much, very (such as Molto allegro) non tanto — not so much non troppo — not too much (such as Allegro ma non troppo, "fast but not too much") obbligato — required, indispensable più — more, as in più allegro; used as a relative indication when the tempo changes poco — a little (such as Poco allegro) poco a poco — little by little quasi — as if (such as Più allegro quasi presto, "faster, as if presto") semplice — simply senza — without sotto voce — in an undertone i.e. quietly tempo comodo — at a comfortable (normal) speed tempo di... — the speed of a ... such as Tempo di valse (speed of a waltz), Tempo di marcia (speed of a march)) tempo giusto — at a consistent speed, at the 'right' speed tempo primo — indicates a return to the movement's or song’s original speed tempo semplice — simple, regular speed, plainly
M o o d m a r k i n g s
Mood markings are often used in conjunction with tempo indications:
accarezzévole — expressive and caressing acceso — ignited, on fire affannato or affannoso — anguished affettuoso or affettuosamente — with affect (that is, with feeling/emotion) agitato — agitated, with implied quickness animato — animated, lively appassionato — to play passionately brioso — vigorously (same as con brio) bruscamente — brusquely con affetto — with affect (that is, with emotion) con amore — or (in Spanish and sometimes in Italian) con amor: with love, tenderly con bravura — boldly con brio — lively, literally, "with brilliance" con calore — warmly con dolore — with sadness con fuoco — with fire con gran espressione — with great expression con molto espressione — with much expression con moto — with motion con slancio — with enthusiasm dolce — sweetly espressivo — expressively furioso — to play in an angry or furious manner giocoso — merrily, funny lacrimoso — tearfully, sadly lamentando or lamentoso — lamenting, mournfully leggiero — to play lightly, or with light touch lububre — lububrious, mournful luminoso — luminously maestoso — majestic or stately (which generally indicates a solemn, slow movement) misterioso — mysterious morendo — dying pesante — heavily sautillé/ saltando — jumpy, fast, and short scherzando or, scherzoso — playfully soave — smoothly, gently sognando — dreamily solenne — solemn sonore — sonorous sostenuto — sustained, sometimes with a slackening of tempo spiccato — slow sautillé, with a bouncy manner tranquillamente — adverb of tranquillo, "tranquilly" tranquillo — tranquil vivacissimamente — adverb of vivacissimo, "very quickly and lively" vivacissimo — very fast and lively
accarezzévole — expressive and caressing acceso — ignited, on fire affannato or affannoso — anguished affettuoso or affettuosamente — with affect (that is, with feeling/emotion) agitato — agitated, with implied quickness animato — animated, lively appassionato — to play passionately brioso — vigorously (same as con brio) bruscamente — brusquely con affetto — with affect (that is, with emotion) con amore — or (in Spanish and sometimes in Italian) con amor: with love, tenderly con bravura — boldly con brio — lively, literally, "with brilliance" con calore — warmly con dolore — with sadness con fuoco — with fire con gran espressione — with great expression con molto espressione — with much expression con moto — with motion con slancio — with enthusiasm dolce — sweetly espressivo — expressively furioso — to play in an angry or furious manner giocoso — merrily, funny lacrimoso — tearfully, sadly lamentando or lamentoso — lamenting, mournfully leggiero — to play lightly, or with light touch lububre — lububrious, mournful luminoso — luminously maestoso — majestic or stately (which generally indicates a solemn, slow movement) misterioso — mysterious morendo — dying pesante — heavily sautillé/ saltando — jumpy, fast, and short scherzando or, scherzoso — playfully soave — smoothly, gently sognando — dreamily solenne — solemn sonore — sonorous sostenuto — sustained, sometimes with a slackening of tempo spiccato — slow sautillé, with a bouncy manner tranquillamente — adverb of tranquillo, "tranquilly" tranquillo — tranquil vivacissimamente — adverb of vivacissimo, "very quickly and lively" vivacissimo — very fast and lively
French Tempo Markings
Common tempo markings in French are:
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
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
German Tempo Markings
Common German tempo markings are:
Langsam — slowly Lebhaft — lively (mood) Mäßig — moderately Rasch — quickly Schnell — fast
Langsam — slowly Lebhaft — lively (mood) Mäßig — moderately Rasch — quickly Schnell — fast