Andante

Andante is the most evocative of the moderate tempo markings. The literal Italian meaning is ‘walking’ — and that is the implication: the music should move at a comfortable, natural human pace, neither hurried nor static. Standard metronome charts place andante at about 76–108 BPM.

Andante is the tempo of countless slow movements: Mozart concertos, Beethoven sonatas, Schubert songs, Bruckner symphonies. The mood is typically lyrical and reflective, but the flow is what defines andante — even at slow speeds, the music never lingers or stalls.

There is occasional confusion about whether andante is on the slow or fast side of the moderate range. Modern convention places it on the slower side (slower than moderato, faster than adagio), but historically composers have used the term flexibly. In Brahms, andante can feel almost brisk; in late Mahler, almost adagio.

Italian, present participle of andare (‘to go, to walk’), from Latin ambitare.

Keep the music walking. An andante that feels static has slowed too much; one that feels rushed has lost the walking character. The pulse should breathe, but never break stride.