"the actual number of beats per minute in a piece marked allergro (for example),
will depend on the music itself.
A piece consisting mainly of 'half notes' can be played very much quicker in
terms of bpm than a piece consisting mainly of 'sixteenth notes',
but still be described with the same word."
Beats/minute | marking | description |
20 | Larghissimo/td> | very, very slow (20 bpm and below) |
40 | Grave/td> | slow and solemn (20-40 bpm) |
50 | Lento/td> | very slow (40-60 bpm) |
60 | Largo/td> | very slow (40-60 bpm), like lento |
65 | Larghetto | rather broadly (60-66 bpm) |
76 | Adagio | slowly |
80 | Andante | at a walking pace |
90 | Andante Moderato | a bit faster than andante |
100 | Andantino | slightly faster than andante |
105 | Moderato | moderately (101-110 bpm) |
110 | Allegretto | moderately fast (but less so than allegro) |
120 | Allegro moderato | moderately quick (112-124 bpm) |
130 | Allegro | fast, quickly and bright (120-139 bpm) |
140 | Vivace | lively and fast (~140 bpm) (quicker than allegro) |
150 | Vivacissimo | very fast and lively |
160 | Allegrissimo | very fast |
180 | Presto | very fast (168-200 bpm) |
220 | Prestissimo | extremely fast (more than 200bpm) |