tempo

Common tempi in classical music include (from slowest to fastest):

• Grave -- solemn
• Largo -- slow
• Adagio (Larghetto)
• Andante
• Allegretto
• Allegro -- fast
• Vivace -- lively
• Presto
• Prestissimo

I guess Andante and Allegro are the two most common that I see.

Movements in classical music are often characterized by their tempo. For example, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is broken down into three movements: I. adagio sostenuto, II. allegretto, III. presto agitato.

In music notation, the tempo indicates the speed of the music. It is written just above the staff. Some tempo is specified at the start of the piece, usually just above the first clef, but it can be changed at any point.

Allegro

    /\                                                     
---| /---------------------
   |/                                                      
---/-----------------------
  /|      4                                                 
-/-|/\---------------------
|  |  |   4                                                 
|--|--|--------------------
 \ |  |                                                    
--\|_/---------------------
   |                                                       
  \|                                                       

Some contemporary songs are specified with a tempo using plain English: "march tempo", "driving rock", and so forth. However, a set of Italian words has long been established as an international standard notation. They include, but are not limited to:

• Grave (extremely slow)
• Largo (very slow)
• Larghetto
• Adagio (slow)
• Lento
• Andantino
• Andante (medium speed)
• Moderato (moderately fast)
• Allegretto
• Allegro (fast)
• Presto (very fast)
• Prestissimo (extremely fast)

These words indicate only a general sense of the speed of the piece. They do not refer to a specific number of beats per minute, only a range which can be broadly defined.

In addition, these words are used mid-piece when the tempo is to change gradually, and are placed above the staff the same as other tempo indicators wherever needed:

• ritardando (suddenly slow down)
• rallentando (gradually slow down)
• accelerando (gradually speed up)
• a tempo (return to the previous tempo)
• tempo primo (return to the first tempo)

Tem"po (?), n. [It., fr. L. tempus. See Tense, n.] Mus.

The rate or degree of movement in time.

A tempo giusto (j&oomac;s"t&osl;) [It.], in exact time; -- sometimes, directing a return to strict time after a tempo rubato. -- Tempo rubato. See under Rubato.

© Webster 1913.