What is allegro moderato?

ByMunyaradzi Mafaro

Allegro moderato is a tempo marking used in music. Tempo markings tell the musician how fast or slow to play the music. Allegro moderato means “moderately fast.” It comes from the Italian language. Allegro means cheerful or lively, and moderato means moderate or medium.

Allegro moderato is not the fastest tempo. There are other tempo markings that are faster, like presto which means very fast. And there are tempo markings that are slower than allegro moderato, like andante which means at a walking pace.

How fast is allegro moderato?

Allegro moderato is usually around 112-124 beats per minute (BPM). This means there are 112 to 124 beats in one minute of the music. A beat is what you tap your foot to when listening to music. It’s the underlying steady pulse you feel in the music.

112-124 BPM is a good speed for dancing. If you were dancing to music at this tempo, you could take quick steps but it wouldn’t be too hard to keep up with. The speed lets the music feel lively and energetic but not frantic or rushed.

Some pieces of music with an allegro moderato tempo marking take the music a bit slower, around 108 BPM. Other pieces take it a bit faster, up to 132 BPM. It depends on the style of the music and what the composer wants. The exact speed can change in different parts of the same piece of music too.

When do composers use allegro moderato?

Composers choose to write music at an allegro moderato tempo when they want it to have a certain feel. The “allegro” part means the music should be lively, quick, and have a lot of energy. The “moderato” part means the liveliness shouldn’t be too extreme. It’s a good balance between speed and control.

Allegro moderato in different styles of music

You can find allegro moderato used in many different styles of music:

In classical music, allegro moderato is a common tempo marking. Many movements of symphonies, concertos, and sonatas have parts marked allegro moderato. “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Mozart has an allegro moderato section. So does Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony No. 6.

In jazz music, allegro moderato is a good tempo for tunes that have a lot of energy but still give the musicians some room to improvise. “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Caravan” are jazz standards that are often played at an allegro moderato tempo. The quick tempo gets people excited and makes them want to dance.

In pop and rock music, many songs are around 112-124 BPM, which is an allegro moderato tempo. The tempo lets the music be exciting and get people moving. Songs like “Hey Ya!” by Outkast, “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake, and “Shut Up And Dance” by Walk The Moon all have an allegro moderato feel. At this speed, the songs make you want to get up and dance.

Allegro moderato vs other tempos

To really understand allegro moderato, it helps to compare it to some other common tempo markings:

Grave means very slow and serious. Music at this tempo has around 25-45 BPM. It’s much, much slower than allegro moderato. Funeral marches are sometimes marked grave.

Largo means broadly. It’s slow and dignified. The tempo is around 40-60 BPM. “Largo” from Xerxes by Handel is a famous piece at this tempo.

Adagio means slow. It’s slower than allegro moderato but not as slow as grave or largo. The range is from 66-76 BPM.

Andante means a walking pace, around 76-108 BPM. It’s a medium slow tempo that’s slower than allegro moderato.

Allegro means fast and bright or lively, around 120-156 BPM. It’s a little faster than allegro moderato.

Presto means very fast, around 168-200 BPM. It’s much faster than allegro moderato. Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata has a famous presto movement.

So allegro moderato is in the middle of these tempos. It’s faster than largo, adagio and andante but slower than presto. It’s close to allegro. The extra word “moderato” is important – it means the speed should be moderated or controlled.

Playing music at allegro moderato

When musicians see allegro moderato on a piece of music, they know to play at a moderately quick speed that has a lively character. The tempo shouldn’t feel too rushed. It needs to have energy but still give the players some control.

For orchestra conductors, allegro moderato usually means using faster baton movements than at slower tempos, to show the quick beat. String players will use shorter bow strokes. Brass and woodwind players will use more air to keep up the energy in their sound.

Tips for playing at allegro moderato

Here are some tips for playing music at an allegro moderato tempo:

  • Practice with a metronome. Set it to 112-124 BPM and try to play along with each click.
  • Think of the word “quick” or “lively” and let it guide how you play. The music shouldn’t drag.
  • Stay relaxed. It’s easy to get tense when playing fast. Remember the “moderato” and keep your playing controlled.
  • Listen to recordings of the music. Count along and try to internalize the pulse and rhythm.
  • Don’t lose sight of musicality. It’s not just about playing the notes quickly. Think about dynamics, articulation and phrasing too.

Munyaradzi Mafaro is a music enthusiast and he also likes to tackle topics of business, productivity, and the possibilities for growth in the digital world.