Adagio

Q: Where does the word Adagio come from?

Italian, ‘at ease’, from *ad* (‘at’) + *agio* (‘ease, leisure’), itself from Old French *aise*.

/əˈdɑːdʒoʊ/ah-DAH-joh

Tempo MarkingsItalian

Definition. Slow and stately — one of the most common slow tempo markings. Roughly 66–76 BPM.

Detailed Explanation

Adagio is Italian for ‘at ease’ or ‘leisurely’. As a tempo marking it indicates a slow speed, characteristically dignified and unhurried. Conventional metronome charts place adagio at about 66–76 BPM, slower than andante and faster than largo.

Adagio is the tempo of the great slow movements: the Adagio of Beethoven’s Pathétique sonata, the Adagio cantabile of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23, the Adagio for Strings of Samuel Barber. The marking implies space — phrases unfold with patience, harmonic motion can be savoured, melodies can stretch out.

The affect of adagio is typically reflective, sometimes elegiac, sometimes religious. But it is not lifeless; even at slow tempo, the music must breathe and progress. An adagio that feels mortuary has missed the leisurely, easeful character of the marking.

Etymology

Italian, ‘at ease’, from ad (‘at’) + agio (‘ease, leisure’), itself from Old French aise.

In Practice

Sustain through the long notes — they are not rests in disguise. Keep the harmonic motion alive in your inner ear, even when the surface slows. The danger of adagio is collapse, not haste.

Notable Examples

Beethoven — Sonata Pathétique, Op. 13, second movement (Adagio cantabile)
Barber — Adagio for Strings (the entire piece)
Albinoni (Giazotto) — Adagio in G minor (famously slow and sustained)

Related Terms

Adagietto Largo Lento Andante

Opposite Of

Presto Vivace Allegro

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Adagio mean in music?

Slow and stately — one of the most common slow tempo markings. Roughly 66–76 BPM.

Where does the word Adagio come from?

Italian, ‘at ease’, from ad (‘at’) + agio (‘ease, leisure’), itself from Old French aise.

How is Adagio performed in practice?

Sustain through the long notes — they are not rests in disguise. Keep the harmonic motion alive in your inner ear, even when the surface slows. The danger of adagio is collapse, not haste.