Allegretto con moto

As Printed on a Score

A heading printed above the first system of a movement or song, lasting until the next tempo word. German composers sometimes print a vernacular direction beside it — Mit Wärme, Bewegt — and the two should be read together as one instruction.

How Composers Use It

Con moto pushes Allegretto toward flow: keep the pulse moving and the phrases going forward rather than dwelling. It suits songs and lyrical pieces where a steady, gently propelled accompaniment carries the line. Since Allegretto already implies motion, the addition is mild; use it when you fear a performer will let the tempo sag, and add a metronome mark if the exact speed matters.

Example

Robert Franz, Sechs Gesänge, Op. 10, “Der vielschönen Fraue”, voice, m. 1: “Allegretto con moto”, with the German “Mit Wärme” (with warmth) beside it and p.

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