Tempo Giusto: Strict, exact tempo; in correct time (80–120 BPM)
Tempo giusto means strict, exact time, generally around 80-120 BPM, instructing the performer to play steadily without rubato.
Tempo Giusto Metronome: 80 to 120 BPM
Press play to hear Tempo Giusto at 100 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 Tempo Giusto Means
Tempo giusto means 'strict tempo' or 'in correct time,' indicating that the performer should play in a steady, exact rhythm without rubato or tempo fluctuation. It can appear at the beginning of a piece (suggesting a natural, unforced tempo) or after a passage of rhythmic freedom (signaling a return to strict time). The concept reflects an era when a 'correct' tempo was understood through convention.
Etymology
Italian, 'tempo' (time/tempo) + 'giusto' (just, right, correct)
BPM Range
Minimum: 80 BPM
Maximum: 120 BPM
Typical: 100 BPM
When you see tempo giusto, prioritize rhythmic precision above all else. Use a metronome to ensure perfect steadiness, and resist any urge to push, pull, or add rubato.
Tempo Giusto in Real Music
Tempo giusto is less a speed than a discipline. Historically the phrase meant the proper tempo, the one a trained musician would infer from the meter, the note values and the dance type on the page, at a time when scores rarely stated a number at all. Bach's era worked this way: the Prelude No. 1 in C major from The Well-Tempered Clavier carries no tempo marking, and performers derive its pace from its unbroken sixteenth-note arpeggios and the character of a prelude. As notation grew more explicit, tempo giusto shifted meaning toward strictness, appearing where a composer wanted rhythmic exactness after a passage of freedom or in music that could otherwise invite rubato. Chopin used it in his waltzes, precisely the genre where pianists are most tempted to stretch the beat. In a Romantic score the marking often functions as a corrective, following a ritardando, a cadenza or an ad libitum section and signalling that the music has returned to measured time. That is what distinguishes it from a tempo, which restores a previous speed without saying anything about strictness. Its 80-120 BPM span is a convention rather than a rule, since the actual tempo depends entirely on the music. What the marking guarantees is that the pulse should not bend.
Example Pieces
- The Well-Tempered Clavier, Prelude No. 1 in C major, Johann Sebastian Bach
- Piano Concerto No. 1, 3rd movement (Rondo: Vivace, tempo giusto section), Ludwig van Beethoven
- Études-Tableaux, Op. 39 No. 5 (Appassionato, tempo giusto sections), Sergei Rachmaninoff
Common Genres
Related Tempo Markings
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tempo giusto mean?
Tempo giusto means 'strict tempo' or 'the correct tempo.' It instructs the performer to play in steady, exact time without rhythmic fluctuation or rubato.
What is the difference between tempo giusto and a tempo?
Tempo giusto means 'in strict/correct time' and emphasizes precision. A tempo means 'return to the previous tempo' after a tempo change. Tempo giusto focuses on strictness; a tempo focuses on restoration.
How fast is tempo giusto in BPM?
Tempo giusto is conventionally taken as 80-120 BPM, around 100 BPM, but the marking concerns strictness rather than speed. The actual tempo comes from the music's meter, note values and character.
When do composers write tempo giusto?
Composers write tempo giusto where rhythmic exactness matters, often after a cadenza, a ritardando or an ad libitum passage, or in genres such as the waltz where performers are most tempted to stretch the beat.
Does tempo giusto mean no rubato?
Effectively, yes. Tempo giusto asks for steady, exact time, so the performer avoids pushing, pulling or adding rubato. It is an instruction about rhythmic discipline rather than about how fast to play.
Related References
Practise Tempo Giusto at Any Tempo
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