Tempo markings · Allegretto
Allegretto
Allegretto means moderately fast and light: usually 112 to 120 BPM. It's Italian for a little Allegro. Hear it below.
The opening of Beethoven's Ode to Joy, at the tempo you choose. Move the slider and play it again.
How fast is Allegretto?
About 112–120 BPM, with 116 a good middle. Moderately fast and light: quicker than Moderato, gentler than Allegro. Compare it with its neighbours:
These ranges are a convention, not a law. Composers wrote Italian words long before there were metronomes (Maelzel's arrived in 1815), and the numbers in books and on metronome dials disagree by a few beats. Treat Allegretto as a character as much as a speed.
Pieces marked Allegretto
- Mozart, Piano Sonata in A, K. 331, last movement: Alla Turca, marked Allegretto
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 7, second movement
Allegretto with other words
Composers often add a word or two to fine-tune it:
- Allegretto grazioso: moderately fast and graceful
- Allegretto scherzando: light and playful
Playing at Allegretto
- Learn it slower first. Practise well under Allegretto until every note is right and even, then raise the metronome a few beats at a time.
- Feel the character, not just the number. Let the music breathe at the ends of phrases, even inside a steady pulse.
- Count one bar before you start, at the speed you mean to play, so the first notes are already in tempo.
Every tempo marking
| Marking | Tempo | Meaning | Hear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grave | 20–40 BPM | the slowest marking of all | |
| Largo | 40–60 BPM | very slow and broad | |
| Lento | 40–60 BPM | slow, without the breadth of Largo | |
| Larghetto | 60–66 BPM | a little faster and lighter than Largo | |
| Adagio | 66–76 BPM | slow and expressive, with room to breathe | |
| Andante | 76–108 BPM | a walking pace | |
| Andantino | 80–108 BPM | a little lighter than Andante, and usually a little quicker (in the 18th century some meant slower | |
| Moderato | 108–120 BPM | a moderate, comfortable speed | |
| Allegretto | 112–120 BPM | moderately fast and light | |
| Allegro | 120–156 BPM | fast and bright | |
| Vivace | 156–176 BPM | lively and fast, with energy as much as speed | |
| Presto | 176–200 BPM | very fast | |
| Prestissimo | 200+ BPM | the fastest marking there is |
Keeping the tempo on a real piano? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a passage that rushes. Then it shows you how it should go.
Questions people ask
How fast is Allegretto?
Usually 112 to 120 BPM (beats per minute). Books and metronomes differ a little; the composer's piece, and your hands, have the final say.
What does Allegretto mean?
Allegretto is Italian for a little Allegro. In music it means moderately fast and light: quicker than Moderato, gentler than Allegro.
Is Allegretto fast or slow?
Moderate. Slower than Allegro (120–156 BPM) and faster than Moderato (108–120 BPM).
What famous pieces are marked Allegretto?
Mozart, Piano Sonata in A, K. 331, last movement: Alla Turca, marked Allegretto; Beethoven, Symphony No. 7, second movement.