Allegro: Fast, lively, and bright (120–156 BPM)
Allegro means fast and lively, a tempo of roughly 120-156 BPM and the most common fast marking in classical music.
Allegro Metronome: 120 to 156 BPM
Press play to hear Allegro at 138 BPM, or switch to the slow and fast ends of the range.
Loops until you press Stop. Beat 1 is accented so you can feel where the bar starts.
What Allegro Means
Allegro is the most common fast tempo marking in classical music, meaning 'cheerful' or 'lively' in Italian. It indicates a brisk, energetic pace that drives the music forward with vitality and excitement. The vast majority of sonata-form first movements and finales are marked allegro, making it the backbone tempo of the classical repertoire.
Etymology
Italian, literally 'cheerful, merry, lively'
BPM Range
Minimum: 120 BPM
Maximum: 156 BPM
Typical: 138 BPM
Build up to allegro gradually, start at a slower tempo where you can play all passages cleanly, then increase speed in small increments. Maintain clarity and articulation even at full tempo.
Allegro in Real Music
Allegro is the backbone of the classical repertoire: the overwhelming majority of sonata-form first movements and finales carry it, which is why musicians often refer to a work's opening simply as its allegro. Mozart's Symphony No. 40 begins Molto allegro, its restless string figure launching immediately without an introduction; Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 opens Allegro con brio; and Vivaldi's Spring, from The Four Seasons, uses Allegro for its birdsong-filled first movement. Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik opens with an Allegro that most listeners could hum, and Haydn built dozens of finales on the marking. The number moves with the era. Baroque allegro generally sits lower and depends on a steady dance-derived pulse, Classical allegro is brighter and more articulated, and Romantic conductors pushed the upper end while adding flexibility within the beat, which is why nineteenth-century performances of the same music vary so widely. Outside classical music the 120-156 BPM range covers a huge amount of rock, dance and jazz: 120 BPM is the default tempo of most drum machines and the standard for house music. That overlap is useful for practice, since setting a metronome to a familiar pop tempo makes allegro feel less abstract. The usual technical trap is speed at the cost of articulation.
Example Pieces
- Symphony No. 40, 1st movement (Molto allegro), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Symphony No. 5, 1st movement (Allegro con brio), Ludwig van Beethoven
- The Four Seasons: Spring, 1st movement (Allegro), Antonio Vivaldi
- Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, 1st movement (Allegro), Johann Sebastian Bach
Common Genres
Related Tempo Markings
Frequently Asked Questions
What BPM is allegro?
Allegro typically ranges from 120-156 BPM. The exact speed varies by piece, period, and performer, but it always indicates a lively, energetic tempo.
What does allegro mean in Italian?
Allegro literally means 'cheerful' or 'merry' in Italian. In music, it indicates a fast, lively tempo rather than a specific emotional state, though the bright character is often reflected in the music.
Is allegro faster than vivace?
No. Allegro runs 120-156 BPM while vivace sits at 156-176 BPM, so vivace is faster. Vivace also asks for a more sparkling, animated character on top of the extra speed.
What pieces are marked allegro?
Vivaldi's Spring from The Four Seasons opens Allegro, Mozart's Symphony No. 40 begins Molto allegro, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 starts Allegro con brio. Most Classical first movements and finales carry some form of allegro.
How fast is allegro on a metronome?
Set a metronome anywhere from 120 to 156 BPM for allegro, with about 138 BPM a common middle choice. Baroque music usually sits nearer the lower end; Romantic performances often push the top.
Related References
Practise Allegro at Any Tempo
The full free metronome opens at 138 BPM with tap tempo, ten time signatures, subdivisions, and a visual beat indicator.
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