Tempo markings · Andante
Andante
Andante means a walking pace: usually 76 to 108 BPM. It's Italian for walking (from “andare”, to go). 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 Andante?
About 76–108 BPM, with 92 a good middle. A walking pace: flowing and easy, neither slow nor fast. 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 Andante as a character as much as a speed.
Pieces marked Andante
- Chopin, Nocturne in E♭, Op. 9 No. 2
- Debussy, Clair de Lune: “Andante très expressif”
- Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (“Surprise”), second movement
- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 21, second movement
Andante with other words
Composers often add a word or two to fine-tune it:
- Andante cantabile: walking, and singing
- Andante con moto: walking, with movement (a little quicker)
- Andante moderato: a little faster than Andante
Playing at Andante
- Learn it slower first. Practise well under Andante 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 Andante?
Usually 76 to 108 BPM (beats per minute). Books and metronomes differ a little; the composer's piece, and your hands, have the final say.
What does Andante mean?
Andante is Italian for walking (from “andare”, to go). In music it means a walking pace: flowing and easy, neither slow nor fast.
Is Andante fast or slow?
Moderate. Slower than Andantino (80–108 BPM) and faster than Adagio (66–76 BPM).
What famous pieces are marked Andante?
Chopin, Nocturne in E♭, Op. 9 No. 2; Debussy, Clair de Lune: “Andante très expressif”; Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (“Surprise”), second movement; Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 21, second movement.