Basic tempo markings
The common tempo markings are:
Adagietto — rather slow (70–80 bpm)
Adagio — slow and stately (literally, "at ease") (66–76 bpm)
Agitato – hurried, restless
Allegretto grazioso — moderately fast and gracefully
Allegretto — moderately fast (but less so than allegro)
Allegrissimo — very fast
Allegro — fast and bright or "march tempo" (120–168 bpm)
Allegro appassionato – fast and passionately
Allegro moderato — moderately quick (112–124 bpm)
Andante — at a walking pace (76–108 bpm)
Andante Moderato — a bit faster than andante
Andantino – slightly faster than andante
Grave — slow and solemn
Largamente — very, very, very slow 10bpm
Larghetto — rather broadly (60–66 bpm)
Larghissimo — very, very slow (20 bpm and below)
Largo — very slow (40–60 bpm), like lento
Lento — very slow (40–60 bpm)
Lento assai – even more slowly than lento
Lento Moderato — moderately slow
Moderato espressivo — moderately with expression
Moderato — moderately (108–120 bpm)
Prestissimo — extremely fast (more than 200bpm)
Presto — very fast (168–200 bpm)
Sostenuto – sustained, prolonged
Tranquillamente — adverb of tranquillo, "tranquilly"
Tranquillo — tranquil
Vivace — lively and fast (≈140 bpm)(quicker than allegro.)
Vivacissimamente — adverb of vivacissimo, "very quickly and lively"
Vivacissimo — very fast and lively
Vivo — lively and alive
Additional Terms:
A piacere — the performer may use his own discretion with regard to tempo and rhythm; literally "at pleasure"[3]
L'istesso tempo — at the same speed
Maestoso - in a stately, dignified and majestic fashion (march-like)
Marcato — marching tempo, marked with emphasis
Misterioso — mysterious
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, in strict tempo
Tempo semplice — simple, regular speed, plainly
All of these markings are based on a few root words such as 'allegro', 'largo', 'adagio', 'vivace', 'presto' 'andante' and 'lento'. 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.
Note: Metronome markings are a guide only and depending on the time signature and the piece itself, these figures may not be appropriate in every circumstance.
[edit] 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 a semicircle with a vertical line through it (see Time signature)
alla marcia — in the manner of a march[4] (e.g., Beethoven, op. 101)
all' ongarese — in Hungarian style
alla (danza) tedesca — in the style of the Ländler (ca. 1800), and similar dances in rather quick triple meter (see Beethoven, op. 79, op. 130)[5]
alla turca — in the Turkish style, that is, in imitation of Turkish military music (Janizary music), which became popular in Europe in the late 18th century
alla zingarese — in the style of Gypsy music
assai — much, as in allegro assai, quite fast[6]
ben — well, as in ben marcato (well marked or accented)
con bravura— with skill[7]
con brio — with vigor and spirit[8]
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[9]
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)[10]
molto — much, very, as in molto allegro (very quick) or molto adagio (very slow)[11]
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)[12]
poco — slightly, little, as in Poco adagio
poco a poco — little by little
polacca — generic name for Polish dances, usually the polonaise, as in tempo di polacca; note, however, that the "Polacca" in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 shows little resemblance to the polonaise[13]
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)[14]
subito — suddenly
Note: In addition to the common allegretto, composers freely apply Italian diminutive and superlative suffixes to variou