How fast is Allegro, really?
The tempo markings in 317 movements of the recordings here, measured beat by beat against their scores. On each work’s page the tempo follows the recording: now, or over the whole movement.
Measured, beside the metronome chart
What the recordings show
The chart gives Allegro 120 to 168 beats a minute. In 147 movements marked Allegro here, the median is 132, and the middle half runs from 115 to 147. 56 of them (38%) fall outside the chart’s range.
Across the 7 markings the chart names, 151 of 259 movements (58%) are played outside its range. Played slower than the chart, by the median: Larghetto (55; chart 60–66), Adagio (50; chart 66–76), Andante (54; chart 76–108), Moderato (86; chart 108–120) and Presto (159; chart 168–200).
The slow markings do not keep their order: Larghetto (55) is played slower than Lento (58) and Adagio (50) is played slower than Larghetto (55). By the median, the slowest of all is Adagio, at 50.
Every marking
Slowest and fastest
How it was measured
Each movement’s tempo is the median of its beats a minute across the recording, from the moments its bars begin. A movement counts for a marking when its title starts with it and names no other tempo: “Allegro con brio” counts for Allegro, “Adagio – Allegro” for neither. Only movements counted in quarter notes are drawn here; those in half notes, eighth notes or dotted beats are on each marking’s page. Metronome charts disagree with one another; the ranges here are a common one.