UNIT 6:

Tempo

Table of Contents
Introduction 3

Review 4

Lesson 1: Slow Tempo: Largo, Andante, and Moderato 5

Learning Targets 5
Let’s Warm Up! 5
Learn about It! 6
Check Your Understanding 8
Challenge Yourself! 8
Let’s Jam! 8

Lesson 2: Fast Tempo: Allegro, Vivace, and Presto 9

Learning Targets 9
Let’s Warm Up! 9
Learn about It! 10
Check Your Understanding 11
Challenge Yourself! 11
Let’s Jam! 11

Did You Know? 12

Web Links 12

Performance Task 13

Self-Check 14

Wrap Up 15

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Bibliography 16

Glossary 16

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GRADE 5

UNIT 6

Tempo

Fig. I. We, Filipinos, have many words for “rice.”

Photo from pixabay.com

Introduction
Here in the Philippines. We have many different words that all translate into “rice” in English.
We have “palay,” which is rice that has yet to be harvested. We have “bigas,” which is rice that
has been harvested but has not been cooked yet. We also have “kanin,” which is rice that has

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already been cooked. The list does not end there; there are many other words which also
translate to “rice,” each word with its slight variation.
We have something very similar in music. For tempo, we have several different words which
all tell us to play the given piece in a slow or fast tempo. However, each word is a slightly
different kind of fast or slow.
In this unit, we’ll be learning about several of these words. We’ll be learning about words that
mean slow tempi, such as largo, andante, and moderato, and differentiating between them.
We’ll also be learning about words that mean fast tempi, such as allegro, vivace, and presto,
and differentiating between them as well.

Review

● Tempo is the fastness or slowness of a piece of music.

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Lesson 1: Slow Tempo: Largo, Andante, and
Moderato

Learning Targets

In this lesson, you should be able to:

● define what largo is;
● define what andante is;
● define what moderato is;
● differentiate between the slow tempi; and
● perform pieces accurately with given tempi.

Largo is a slow tempo. Andante is also a slow tempo. Moderato is also often considered a slow
tempo. If they are all slow, how are they different from each other?

Let’s Warm Up!

1. Face a clock.
2. Pay attention to the steady beat created by the second hand.
3. Clap along to each second.
4. Clap every two seconds.
5. Clap every five seconds.
6. Clap every seven seconds.

Is it difficult to follow the clock’s beat? Why or why not?

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 Learn about It!

In music, the words largo, andante, and moderato all tell us to perform a piece in a relatively
slow tempo. But not all slow tempi are the same.
One of the easiest ways to distinguish one tempo from another is through the bpm mark.

BPM
BPM stands for beats-per-minute. A bpm mark tells you how many beats are in one minute in
a musical piece. For example, if a musical piece has a bpm of 60, then there are 60 beats in
every minute of that piece. This would sound identical to the steady pulse of the second hand
of a wall clock.

Fig. 1.1. Metronomes.

Photo from pixabay.com

The way to find out a piece’s bpm is by using a metronome. A metronome is an invention that
makes use of a pendulum with an adjustable weight. Each swing of the pendulum is one beat.
This invention was created by Dietrich Winkel in 1814, and developed by the German
inventor Johann Maelzel in 1816.

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Largo
Largo is one of the slowest tempi used in music. It is an Italian word which translates to
“broad” or “broadly.” The tempo marking largo tells us to play a piece of music very slowly.
A largo tempo ranges from 40 to 60 bpm.

Andante
Andante is a tempo slightly faster than largo. It comes from the Italian word “andare,” which
means “to go.“ The tempo marking andante tells us to play a given piece of music at a walking
pace. That tempo ranges from 76 to 108 bpm.

Moderato
Moderato is a tempo one notch faster than andante. It is an Italian word which translates to
“moderately slow.” A moderato tempo marking tells us to play a piece somewhere between
108 and 118 bpm.

Try It Yourself
Download a metronome app.
Set the metronome to 40 bpm (largo) and clap along to the beat.
Set the metronome to 76 bpm (andante) and clap along to the beat.
Set the metronome to 108 bpm (moderato) and clap along to the beat.

Try It Yourself
Sing the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at a comfortable tempo.
Using the metronome, sing the song at a largo tempo.
Using the metronome, sing the song at an andante tempo.
Using the metronome, sing the song at a moderato tempo.

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 Check Your Understanding

Fill in the blanks with the correct answers.

1. BPM stands for ____________________.
2. You can check a piece’s bpm using a/n ____________________.
3. The slowest tempo is ____________________.
4. Largo translates to ____________________.
5. Largo ranges from ____ to _____ bpm.
6. Andante comes from the word ____________________.
7. Andante ranges from _____ to _____ bpm.
8. Moderato is an Italian word which translates to ____________________.
9. Moderato ranges from _____ to _____ bpm.
10. The metronome was invented by _____________________.

Challenge Yourself!

On the space provided, write the corresponding tempo.

_______________ = 42 bpm
_______________ = 107 bpm
_______________ = 80 bpm
_______________ = 109 bpm
_______________ = 59 bpm

Let’s Jam!
Listen to your favorite song. Using a metronome, check what the song’s bpm marking is.

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Lesson 2: Fast Tempo: Allegro, Vivace, and
Presto

Learning Targets

In this lesson, you should be able to:

● define what allegro is;
● define what vivace is;
● define what presto is;
● differentiate between the various fast tempi; and
● perform pieces accurately with given tempi.

Allegro, vivace, and presto are all fast tempi. But not all fast tempi are the same. How are
allegro, vivace, and presto different from each other?

Let’s Warm Up!

1. Download a metronome app.

2. Using the metronome, clap along to a steady 60 bpm.
3. Using the metronome, clap along to a steady 120 bpm.
4. Using the metronome, clap along to a steady 180 bpm.
5. Using the metronome, clap along to a steady 200 bpm.

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 Learn about It!

In the same way that largo, andante, and moderato all tell us to play a piece in a slow tempo,
presto, vivace, and allegro all tell us to play a piece in a fast tempo. But the three tempi are
not all the same.

Presto
Presto is one of the fastest tempi used in music. It is an Italian word which translates to “soon”
or “quickly.” The tempo marking presto tells us to play a piece of music at a very fast pace.
A presto tempo ranges from 170 to 200 bpm.

Vivace
Vivace is a tempo significantly slower than presto. It is an Italian word which translates to
“lively.“ The tempo marking vivace falls somewhere between 132 and 140 bpm.

Allegro
Allegro is a tempo one notch slower than vivace. It is an Italian word which translates to
“cheerful.” An allegro tempo marking tells us to play a piece at a cheerful pace of somewhere
between 109 to 132 bpm.

Try It Yourself
Sing the song Row, Row, Row Your Boat at a comfortable tempo.
Using the metronome, sing the song at an allegro tempo.
Using the metronome, sing the song at an vivace tempo.
Using the metronome, sing the song at a presto tempo.

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 Check Your Understanding
Fill in the blanks with the correct answers.
1. The fastest tempo is ____________________.
2. Allegro translates to ____________________.
3. Presto ranges from ____ to _____ bpm.
4. Vivace translates to ____________________.
5. Vivace ranges from _____ to _____ bpm.
6. Presto is an Italian word which translates to ____________________.
7. Allegro ranges from _____ to _____ bpm.
8. Allegro is _______________ than vivace.
9. Presto is _______________ than allegro.
10. Vivace is _______________ than allegro.

Challenge Yourself!
On the space provided, write the corresponding tempo.
_______________ = 109 bpm
_______________ = 198 bpm
_______________ = 171 bpm
_______________ = 139 bpm
_______________ = 131 bpm

Let’s Jam!
Activity 1: Choose a very slow song, and perform it in an allegro tempo.
Activity 2: Choose a very slow song, and perform it in a vivace tempo.
Activity 3: Choose a very slow song, and perform it in a presto tempo.

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 Did You Know?

Tempo has always been relative, especially for pieces written before the invention of the bpm
marking. This is because the words used for tempo markings are interpreted differently by
different performers.
According to some performers, the vivace tempo is around nearly the same tempo as allegro,
while others believe that allegro is actually faster than vivace.
Similarly, andante has always been a highly-debated tempo marking, because it directs the
performer to perform a piece at a walking pace, which varies from person to person as well.

Web Links
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaBe5dxomLM
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYgBHpUfQnw
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyvHKzsOrFU&t=1s
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTyD2pfAsaI&t=6s
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PWV_Ksna9s

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 Performance Task
Good Conduct
Purpose:
At the end of this activity, the students should be able to:
● apply their knowledge of tempo in choosing a musical piece to perform; and
● conduct a performance of the piece with an accurate tempo.

Role: You are a musical group that has been hired to perform for a concert.

Competence: You must use your knowledge of tempo in choosing a piece to meet the event
organizer’s requirements.

Procedure:
1. Group yourselves into five.
2. Choose a piece to perform at the concert.
The song must satisfy the following criteria:
● It must have a moderato tempo.
● It must be in a simple quadruple meter.
3. Once you have chosen a song, practice singing the song as a group, make sure to keep
a moderato tempo consistently. You may add gestures and choreography.
4. Choose a person from your group who will act as a conductor for the performance.
5. Perform the song in front of the class.
6. After all the groups have performed, have a sharing of insights facilitated by your
teacher.

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 Key Guide Questions

1. What song did you choose?

2. Was it difficult finding a song that met the given criteria?
3. Was it difficult working in a group?
4. What was it like being the conductor of the group?

Reflective Questions

Would you like to be a performer when you grow up? How about a conductor?

Self-Check
Check I can…

define what largo is

define what andante is

define what moderato is

define what allegro is

define what vivace is

define what presto is

differentiate between the various slow and fast tempi

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Wrap Up

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 Bibliography

Tuplets. Accessed March 12, 2019. http://www.treblis.com/notation/tempo.html.

Kuznetsova, Natalia, and Tidewater Community College. "Music Appreciation."
Lumen Learning. Accessed March 12, 2019.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/musicappreciation_with_theory/chapter/tempo-markings-
and-changes/.
Ottman, Robert W. Elementary Harmony Theory and Practice & Cd. Prentice Hall Ptr, 1998.
SCHMIDT-JONES, CATHERINE. UNDERSTANDING BASIC MUSIC THEORY. S.l.: 12TH MEDIA
SERVICES, 2018.
Zinn, Michael, and Robert Hogenson. Basics of Music: Opus 1. New York: Schirmer Books,
1994.

Glossary

Tempo refers to the fastness or slowness of a musical piece.

Metronome refers to a device that precisely indicates specific bpm.

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