Allegro

How it is used

Found at the top of movements or sections in scores. Performers use it as a general speed and character guide, not an exact BPM alone.

Example sentences

1. Although the movement was marked allegro, the conductor chose a slightly broader pace so the woodwind lines stayed articulate.

   Here allegro gives the expected fast character, but the conductor still adjusts the exact speed for musical clarity.

2. The student kept treating allegro like a race, so the teacher reminded him that lively does not mean careless.

   In this sentence, allegro refers to a brisk musical character, not simply playing as fast as physically possible.

Common collocations

• allegro movement
• marked allegro
• allegro section

Related terms

• tempoThe speed of a piece of music, usually measured in beats per minute (BPM) or shown with Italian words such as allegro (fast) or adagio (slow).
• BPMShort for beats per minute: the number of beats in one minute, used to measure tempo. A slow ballad might be around 70 BPM and a dance track around 125 BPM.

More terms: Rhythm, Meter and Tempo

• rhythm
• beat
• time signature
• metronome
• downbeat
• syncopation
• groove
• additive rhythm
• cut time
• backbeat
• break
• hemiola