lento

Definition of the Italian term lento in music:

slow (30–70 beats per minute)
movement, section, or piece marked lento

Language

Italian

Singular

lento (m)lenta (f)

Plural

lenti (m)lente (f)

An analysis of 100 recordings of classical works marked lento indicates that lento is typically performed at a tempo between 30 and 70 beats per minute (BPM). The average tempo is 50 BPM.

The diagram below shows the tempo of each recording. The dataset includes works from the 18th to 20th centuries, where available, with no more than three recordings of the same work and no more than six by the same composer.

18th century

19th century

20th century

Italian musical terms that include lento:

adagio non lento – slowly but not as slow as lento...
adagio non troppo lento – slowly but not too slow...
ancora più lento – even slower
andante lento – slower than andante, but not as slow as lento...
andante non troppo lento – moderately slow but not too slow...
andante un poco lento – moderately slow, a little like lento...
andantino lento – slightly faster than andante but with a slow chara...
andantino non troppo lento – slightly faster than andante, not too slow...
assai più lento – much slower
doppio lento – half as slow
doppio più lento – half as slow
grave e lento – serious and slow
larghetto non troppo lento – somewhat slow but not too slow...
lento assai – very slow...
lento con amore – slow with love...
lento con espressione – slow with expression...
lento con gran espressione – slow with great expression...
lento con grande sentimento – slow with great feeling...
lento con grazia – slow with grace...
lento con moto – slow with movement, slightly faster than lento...
lento con solennità – slow with solemnity...
lento con spirito – slow with spirit...
lento con tenerezza – slow with tenderness...
lento di molto – very slow...
lento e ben sostenuto – slow and well sustained (in duration)...
lento e cantabile – slow and singable (in a singing style)...
lento e capriccio – slow and capricious...
lento e con dignità – slow and with dignity...
lento e con sentimento – slow and with feeling...
lento e dolce – slow and sweet...
lento e espressivo – slow and expressive...
lento e grave – slow and serious...
lento e grazioso – slow and graceful...
lento e languido – slow and languid...
lento e legato – slow and legato (with smooth and connected notes)...
lento e mesto – slow and sad...
lento e misterioso – slow and mysterious...
lento e plaintivo – slow and plaintive...
lento e rubato – slow and rubato...
lento e semplice – slow and simple...
lento e sostenuto – slow and sustained (in duration)...
lento e stentato – slow and labored...
lento e tranquillo – slow and peaceful...
lento e triste – slow and sad...
lento languendo – slow and languishing...
lento lento – very slow...
lento ma non troppo – slow but not too much...
lento maestoso – slow and majestic...
lento moderato – moderately slow, faster than lento...
lento non troppo – slow but not too much...
lento placido – slow and calm...
lento tranquillo – slow and peaceful...
ma non lento – but not slow...
maestoso e lento – majestic and slow
maestoso ma non troppo lento – majestic but not too slow
meno lento – less slow
moderato non troppo lento – moderate tempo but not too slow...
molto lento – very slow, not as slow as molto largo
non lento – not slow
più lento – slower
più tosto lento – rather slower
poco lento – a little slow
sostenuto ma non troppo lento – sustained (in duration) but not too slow
subito più lento – suddenly slower
un poco lento – somewhat slow
un poco meno lento – a little less slow
un poco più lento – somewhat more slow
vibrato lento – slow vibrato (regular pulsating change of pitch)

Music scores that include lento:

Antonio Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 1 (1723) Page 1
Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor (1868) Page 9
Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (1847) Page 1
Franz Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor (1852‑53) Page 1
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor (1830) Page 1
Hector Berlioz: Grande messe des morts (1837) Page 1
Hector Berlioz: Le jeune Pâtre breton (1833‑35) Page 1
Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (1910‑1913) Page 1
Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor (1708) Page 1
Maurice Baron: The Last Lullaby (1921) Page 1

Italian musical terms related to lento:

adagietto – rather slowly (40–100 beats per minute), not as sl...
adagio – slowly (35–75 beats per minute)...
adagissimo – extremely slow, slower than adagio...
grave – extremely slow (20–75 beats per minute)...
gravissimo – very serious, very severe...
larghetto – somewhat slow (30–90 beats per minute), not as slo...
larghissimo – extremely slow (20–50 beats per minute), slower th...
largo – slow (20–70 beats per minute)...
lenemente – gently, softly
lentamente – slowly...
lentezza – slowness
lentissimo – very slow, slower than lento...
rallentato – slowed
steso – extended, stretched, slow
strascicato – dragged (played slowly)
tardamente – slowly
tardantemente – slowly
tardo – slow
trascinato – dragged, slowed down

Tempo analysis

Combinations

Musical examples

Related terms