presto
Definition of the Italian term presto in music:
- very fast (110–190 beats per minute)
- movement, section, or piece marked presto
- soon
- quickly
- early
Language
Italian
Singular
presto (m)presta (f)
Plural
presti (m)preste (f)
Tempo analysis
An analysis of 100 recordings of classical works marked presto indicates that presto is typically performed at a tempo between 110 and 190 beats per minute (BPM). The average tempo is 149 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
Combinations
Italian musical terms that include presto:
Musical examples
Music scores that include presto:
- Antonio Bazzini: Scherzo fantastique (1853) Page 1
- Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (1847) Page 6
- Franz Liszt: Totentanz (1847–53) Page 2
- Frédéric Chopin: Scherzo No. 2 (1837) Page 1
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor (1708) Page 1
- Joseph Haydn: Piano Sonata in E minor (1778) Page 1
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata (1802) Page 5
- Michele Esposito: Suite Op. 34 (ca. 1900) Page 3
- Robert Schumann: Carnaval (1833‑35) Page 3
- Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Patina (1925) Page 3
Related terms
Italian musical terms related to presto: