Speed indications

Speed Indications

These are indications given by a composer at the start of a piece of music, or sometimes at the start of a new section, to tell the performer(s) the approximate speed the music should be played at.
As with other musical directions, they are usually written in Italian, which is the internationally used language for music.
A more precise indication of speed is sometimes given as well, or instead, with a metronome marking.

Through usage, a number of standard Italian terms have come to have quite specific meanings and reasonably precise speeds, although the judgement of the exact speed is always left to the performer. Note that these indications always apply to the beat.

Italian word	English meaning	Speed of beats (per minute)
Grave	Very slow and solemn	40-44
Largo	Very broad and stately	46-48
Larghetto or *Lento*	Slightly faster than Largo	50-52
Adagio	Leisurely	54-56
Andante	Easily	58-63
Andantino	Slightly faster than Andante	64-72
Moderato	Moderate pace	74-92
Allegretto	Less quickly than Allegro	96-108
Allegro	Quick, lively	112-116
Vivace or Vivo	Briskly	120-132
Presto	Fast	138-168
Prestissimo	As fast as possible	176-208

These words are normally placed at the beginning of a piece of music, or the start of a new section or movement, above the stave.
Other terms are used, and other languages, the next most common after Italian being German.

Frequently Asked Question: Why don't composers always write the exact speed with a metronome marking rather than use an imprecise Italian term?
Answer: The performer is deliberately allowed to have some freedom, because the speed chosen for a given performance may depend on the instrument or make up of the group, the acoustics, and the mood wanted to be portrayed.

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