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Tempo is one of the most powerful tools you have as a musician—it shapes the emotional character of every piece you play or analyze. When you see Largo versus Allegro on a score, you're not just reading a speed instruction; you're receiving critical information about mood, energy, and expressive intent. Your musicianship exams will test whether you can identify these markings aurally, use them correctly in performance, and understand how composers manipulate tempo to create tension, release, and narrative arc.
Don't fall into the trap of memorizing BPM ranges in isolation. Instead, focus on grouping tempos by character (slow/reflective vs. fast/energetic), understanding how tempo modifications work (accelerando, ritardando, a tempo), and recognizing why composers choose specific markings to achieve particular effects. The real test isn't whether you know Adagio is slower than Andante—it's whether you can hear the difference and explain what each contributes to the music.
Slow tempos create space for sustained expression, allowing melodies to breathe and harmonies to resonate. These markings signal gravity, introspection, or profound emotion—think of them as the musical equivalent of a deep exhale.
Compare: Largo vs. Adagio—both create reflective moods, but Largo carries more weight and ceremony while Adagio feels more intimate and songlike. If you're asked to identify a slow movement's character, Largo suggests "majestic" while Adagio suggests "tender."
Moderate tempos provide forward momentum without urgency. These markings occupy the comfortable middle ground where music can be both relaxed and purposeful.
Compare: Andante vs. Moderato—Andante has a specific character (walking, flowing) while Moderato is more neutral. On listening exams, Andante often feels like something, while Moderato simply moves at a medium pace.
Fast tempos generate excitement, virtuosity, and forward drive. These markings demand technical facility and create the kinetic energy that propels finales and opening movements.
Compare: Allegro vs. Presto—both are fast, but Allegro is sustainable energy while Presto pushes toward the limits of playability. Vivace falls between them but emphasizes spirit over pure speed. For FRQ responses about tempo character, remember: Allegro = energetic, Vivace = spirited, Presto = urgent.
Unlike fixed tempo markings, these terms indicate change—they're instructions to speed up, slow down, or return to baseline. Understanding tempo modifications is essential for expressive performance and score analysis.
Compare: Accelerando vs. Ritardando—opposite effects, but both are gradual changes (not sudden). On aural skills tests, listen for the incremental nature of the change. A sudden tempo shift would use different terminology entirely (subito, for example).
| Concept | Best Examples |
|---|---|
| Very slow / reflective | Largo, Adagio |
| Moderate / walking | Andante, Moderato |
| Fast / energetic | Allegro, Vivace, Presto |
| Gradual tempo change | Accelerando, Ritardando |
| Tempo reset | A Tempo |
| Slowest standard marking | Largo |
| Most common fast marking | Allegro |
| Emphasizes character over speed | Vivace |
Which two tempo markings both indicate slow speeds but differ in emotional character—one suggesting grandeur, the other intimacy?
If you hear a passage gradually speed up over eight measures before reaching a climax, which tempo modification is the performer executing?
Compare and contrast Allegro and Presto: what do they share, and how would you distinguish between them in a listening example?
A score shows ritardando followed by a tempo four measures later. Explain what happens to the tempo across these measures.
You're analyzing a sonata's second movement marked Andante. What character and approximate speed range should you expect, and how does this differ from a movement marked Moderato?