Adagio: Slow, at ease (66–76 BPM)
Adagio means slow and at ease, a tempo of roughly 66-76 BPM used for many of classical music's most expressive slow movements.
Adagio Metronome: 66 to 76 BPM
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What Adagio Means
Adagio is one of the most common slow tempo markings, literally meaning 'at ease.' It calls for a relaxed, unhurried pace that allows for deep expressiveness and nuanced phrasing. Many of the most emotionally powerful movements in classical music are marked adagio, including Barber's iconic Adagio for Strings.
Etymology
Italian, from 'ad agio' meaning 'at ease, at leisure'
BPM Range
Minimum: 66 BPM
Maximum: 76 BPM
Typical: 71 BPM
At adagio, every note matters. Focus on tone production, intonation, and dynamic shading. Subdivide mentally to maintain rhythmic accuracy, as slow tempos can easily drift.
Adagio in Real Music
Adagio is the default marking for a slow movement in the Classical and Romantic repertoire, and the word has become a noun in its own right: musicians talk about a symphony's adagio the way they talk about its finale. Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, drawn from the slow movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11, is the most famous single example, built on a stepwise line that climbs to an enormous climax and then withdraws. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata opens with an Adagio sostenuto, where the sustaining pedal and unbroken triplets matter as much as the tempo, and the Adagio in G minor attributed to Albinoni is in fact largely the work of the twentieth-century scholar Remo Giazotto, who built it around a fragment. Era shifts the number. Baroque adagio often functions as a short linking movement or a canvas for improvised ornamentation, and it moves more than its modern reputation suggests, while Bruckner and Mahler stretched their adagios into vast structures that can last twenty minutes or more. At 66-76 BPM there is time for every event to register, which is why adagio exposes intonation, tone production and rhythm so mercilessly. Most players subdivide mentally, since slow tempos drift far more easily than fast ones.
Example Pieces
- Adagio for Strings, Samuel Barber
- Piano Sonata No. 14 'Moonlight', 1st movement, Ludwig van Beethoven
- Adagio in G minor, Tomaso Albinoni (attr. Remo Giazotto)
- Symphony No. 7, 2nd movement (Allegretto, often played Adagio), Ludwig van Beethoven
Common Genres
Related Tempo Markings
Frequently Asked Questions
What does adagio mean in music?
Adagio means 'at ease' or 'slowly' in Italian. It indicates a slow, leisurely tempo typically between 66-76 BPM, allowing for expressive and lyrical performance.
What is the most famous adagio?
Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings (1936) is widely considered the most famous adagio. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Adagio sostenuto) and the Albinoni/Giazotto Adagio in G minor are also iconic.
Is adagio faster than largo?
Yes. Adagio runs 66-76 BPM while largo sits at 40-60 BPM, so adagio is the quicker marking. Largo asks for broad expansiveness; adagio asks for an unhurried, at-ease pace.
What is the difference between adagio and andante?
Adagio at 66-76 BPM is a slow tempo, while andante at 76-108 BPM is a walking pace. Andante carries steady forward motion; adagio lingers and leaves room for expressive shaping of every note.
What pieces are marked adagio?
Barber's Adagio for Strings is the best known, alongside the Adagio sostenuto opening Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and the Adagio in G minor attributed to Albinoni but largely written by Remo Giazotto.
Related References
Practise Adagio at Any Tempo
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