Allegretto
What is Allegretto?
Allegretto is a direction in music defined as being moderately fast. It is a direction to play a composition in an Allegretto tempo. It is a diminutive of “allegro,” which means cheerful or gay in Italian. It is also derived from the Latin word “alacrem,” which means cheerful, brisk, or lively
Key Takeaways
- Allegretto is a direction in music characterized by playing a musical composition in a moderately fast tempo.
- Allegretto is faster than andante but slower than allegro.
- Allegretto has a tempo of 98 to 109 beats per minute.
Understanding Allegretto
As a musical notation, allegretto indicates that the composition must be played in a fast and lively manner but not too fast. It is faster than adante but slower than allegro. Its speed is at 98 to 109 beats per minute. To describe the tempo, it can be defined as being a fast tempo that does not show any signs of a hurry.
Perhaps the most famous example of Allegretto tempo is Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.
Related Terms
Cut Time Cut time is a time signature that’s also known as Alle Breve, or cut common time. more
Allegro Allegro is a tempo in music that means fast. more
Anacrusis An anacrusis is a note or a series of notes found before the beginning of the body of the musical composition. more