Molto Allegro: Very fast (144–176 BPM)
Molto allegro means very fast, a tempo of roughly 144-176 BPM that intensifies allegro toward presto territory.
Molto Allegro Metronome: 144 to 176 BPM
Press play to hear Molto Allegro at 160 BPM, or switch to the slow and fast ends of the range.
Loops until you press Stop. Beat 1 is accented so you can feel where the bar starts.
What Molto Allegro Means
Molto allegro means 'very fast,' intensifying the standard allegro with the 'molto' (very/much) modifier. It pushes tempo beyond normal allegro into the territory approaching presto. Mozart used this marking for several of his most dramatic and energetic symphonic movements, including the turbulent opening of Symphony No. 40.
Etymology
Italian, 'molto' (very/much) + 'allegro' (lively), literally 'very lively'
BPM Range
Minimum: 144 BPM
Maximum: 176 BPM
Typical: 160 BPM
Molto allegro sits between allegro and presto, maintain the character of allegro but at heightened speed. Ensure all passagework remains clean and articulate at this elevated tempo.
Molto Allegro in Real Music
Molto allegro is Mozart's marking above all others. He opened his Symphony No. 40 in G minor with a Molto allegro whose restless, sighing string theme begins mid-phrase over a throbbing accompaniment, with no introduction at all, and the speed is essential: taken slower the movement becomes elegiac rather than agitated. He used the same marking for the finale of his Symphony No. 41, the Jupiter, where five themes are combined in a fugal coda that only sounds miraculous because the tempo keeps them arriving too quickly to analyse. The qualifier molto simply means very or much, and attached to allegro it lifts the range to 144-176 BPM, above allegro's own 120-156 BPM but stopping short of presto's upper reaches. That places molto allegro in the same territory as vivace, which is why the two markings can be hard to distinguish by ear. The Classical period is its natural home; Baroque scores generally use allegro or presto, and Romantic composers often preferred vivace or explicit metronome marks. For performers the challenge is retaining allegro's articulation at heightened speed. Passagework should stay clean and accompaniment figures even, since molto allegro is meant to sound urgent rather than merely hurried.
Example Pieces
- Symphony No. 40, 1st movement (Molto allegro), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Symphony No. 41 'Jupiter', 4th movement (Molto allegro), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Piano Sonata No. 1, 1st movement (Allegro, often interpreted molto allegro), Ludwig van Beethoven
Common Genres
Related Tempo Markings
Frequently Asked Questions
What does molto allegro mean?
Molto allegro means 'very fast' or 'very lively.' The 'molto' (very) modifier intensifies allegro, pushing the tempo beyond standard allegro speed.
Is molto allegro the same as presto?
Not exactly. Molto allegro is faster than allegro but typically not quite as fast as presto. It retains the character of allegro while pushing the speed significantly higher.
How fast is molto allegro in BPM?
Molto allegro runs about 144-176 BPM, around 160 BPM in practice. That is faster than allegro's 120-156 BPM range but generally slower than presto, which reaches 200 BPM.
What pieces are marked molto allegro?
Mozart marked the first movement of his Symphony No. 40 in G minor Molto allegro, and the fugal finale of his Symphony No. 41, the Jupiter, carries the same marking.
What does molto mean in music?
Molto means very or much. Attached to a tempo marking it intensifies it, so molto allegro is very fast and molto vivace is very lively. It can also modify dynamics and expression terms.
Related References
Practise Molto Allegro at Any Tempo
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