Tempo markings · Vivace
Vivace
Vivace means lively and fast, with energy as much as speed: usually 156 to 176 BPM. It's Italian for lively. 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 Vivace?
About 156–176 BPM, with 166 a good middle. Lively and fast, with energy as much as speed. 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 Vivace as a character as much as a speed.
Pieces marked Vivace
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 7, first movement (after its slow introduction)
- Bach, Concerto for Two Violins, BWV 1043, first movement
Vivace with other words
Composers often add a word or two to fine-tune it:
- Allegro vivace: fast and lively
- Vivacissimo: very lively
Playing at Vivace
- Learn it slower first. Practise well under Vivace until every note is right and even, then raise the metronome a few beats at a time.
- Feel the character, not just the number. Fast music needs a relaxed hand: if your arm tightens, slow down until it doesn’t.
- 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 Vivace?
Usually 156 to 176 BPM (beats per minute). Books and metronomes differ a little; the composer's piece, and your hands, have the final say.
What does Vivace mean?
Vivace is Italian for lively. In music it means lively and fast, with energy as much as speed.
Is Vivace fast or slow?
Fast. Slower than Presto (176–200 BPM) and faster than Allegro (120–156 BPM).
What famous pieces are marked Vivace?
Beethoven, Symphony No. 7, first movement (after its slow introduction); Bach, Concerto for Two Violins, BWV 1043, first movement.