Vivacissimo

Vivacissimo is the superlative form of vivace: ‘extremely lively’. In tempo terms it sits above vivace and approaches the territory of presto, but the spirit is what matters. Vivacissimo signals a maximum of brightness and animation, not merely a slight uptick in BPM.

The marking is less common than its parent, but composers reach for it when they want to push a vivace movement beyond its natural exuberance. Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky use vivacissimo at climactic moments in scherzos and finales. The marking implies high spirits, light articulation, and a certain virtuoso shine.

In modern practice some conductors and performers treat vivacissimo as approximately equivalent to presto, but the connotation is different: presto is fast, vivacissimo is vivacious — bright and bouncing, not just rapid.

Italian, superlative of vivace. The -issimo suffix amplifies to the extreme.

Push the brightness more than the speed. Vivacissimo should feel like a kettle boiling over with energy. Technical clarity is paramount — at this level, sloppy playing destroys the spirit of the marking.