Allegro molto e con brio

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff as a movement heading, sometimes after a slow introduction; it governs until the next tempo word. A close variant is Allegro di molto e con brio.

How Composers Use It

Beethoven’s heading for several early piano sonata first movements: very fast and vigorous, with rhythmic drive and sharp contrasts. The two parts work together — molto sets the speed high, con brio sets the character. A modern composer rarely needs both; a metronome mark plus Allegro con brio says the same thing more economically.

Example

Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10 No. 1, first movement, m. 1: “Allegro molto e con brio”, opening f and dropping to p two bars later.

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