Allegro assai

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff as a movement heading; it governs until the next tempo word. In 18th-century music it often heads finales, and in orchestral parts it is repeated at the head of each part.

How Composers Use It

Assai intensifies allegro — very fast — though a minority reading takes 18th-century assai as “rather” rather than “very”, so its exact force is debated. Classical composers used it for urgent, driving finales. Treat it as a fast tempo with forward momentum, and add a metronome mark to settle the question for modern players.

Example

Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550, fourth movement, m. 1: “Allegro assai.”, heading a finale that begins p.

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