Allegretto Metronome
116
BPM
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Allegretto is an Italian tempo marking meaning "a little lively" or "moderately fast," with a BPM range of 112-120 BPM. The suffix -etto is an Italian diminutive, so Allegretto is literally a "small Allegro." Despite this modest name, Allegretto has a bright, forward-moving energy that distinguishes it from the more neutral Moderato. Where Moderato is balanced and centered, Allegretto tips the scale toward liveliness with an unmistakable spring in its step. This tempo feels inherently optimistic and engaging, which is why it appears so frequently in music designed to captivate audiences. Allegretto is often misunderstood as simply "slow Allegro," but it has its own distinct character: lighter, more graceful, and often more dance-like than the driving intensity of true Allegro.
The most famous Allegretto in all of music is unquestionably the second movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. Despite its relatively modest tempo marking, this movement has become one of the most iconic pieces in the orchestral repertoire, its insistent rhythmic pattern (short-short-long, short-short-long-long) building from a whisper to a overwhelming emotional climax. At its premiere in 1813, the audience demanded an immediate encore of this movement. Bizet's Carmen includes several Allegretto passages that capture the opera's Spanish flavor with dance-like rhythms. Brahms' Third Symphony third movement is an Allegretto of exquisite tenderness, replacing the traditional scherzo with a wistful, almost autumnal dance. In piano literature, many of Chopin's Mazurkas are marked Allegretto, reflecting the moderately fast dance tempo of the Polish folk form that inspired them.
Allegretto is the tempo where music starts to dance, and your practice should reflect this. Focus on rhythmic vitality: even in legato passages, there should be a subtle sense of pulse and lilt. Practice placing slight emphases on strong beats without making them heavy. At 112-120 BPM, articulation becomes increasingly important: staccato must be crisp, accents must be precise, and legato must be genuinely connected. This is an excellent tempo for working on the contrast between different articulation types within a single phrase. For rhythmic accuracy, try practicing with the metronome on beats 2 and 4 only (setting it to half the tempo and placing clicks on the offbeats). This develops a sense of groove and swing that makes your Allegretto playing feel alive rather than mechanical.
Allegretto means "a little lively" in Italian, using the diminutive suffix -etto. It indicates a tempo of 112-120 BPM, faster than Moderato but lighter and more graceful than Allegro.
The second movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 is the most famous Allegretto. Its hypnotic rhythmic pattern and gradual emotional build have made it one of the most recognizable pieces in orchestral music.
Allegretto (112-120 BPM) is slower than Allegro (130-150 BPM) and has a lighter, more dance-like character. Allegro is more driving and intense, while Allegretto has graceful, buoyant energy.
Allegretto is pronounced "ah-leh-GRET-toh" in Italian, with the stress on the third syllable. The double 'l' is pronounced like a single 'l,' and the double 't' creates a slightly longer consonant. The '-etto' is a diminutive suffix meaning "little."
The most famous Allegretto is Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 second movement. Other notable examples include Brahms' Third Symphony third movement, many Chopin Mazurkas, and Bizet's Carmen dance scenes. The tempo also appears in numerous Haydn and Mozart divertimenti.