Allegro non tanto

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff as a heading; it governs until the next tempo word. Non tanto (not so much) and non troppo (not too much) are interchangeable in practice.

How Composers Use It

A fast tempo held back from its full speed. It suits music whose character is restless but whose detail — a vocal line, inner figuration — needs room to be heard. As with all capped tempo words, the cap is a matter of judgement, so add a metronome mark if it matters; otherwise allegro non troppo is the more familiar wording.

Example

Debussy, Ariettes oubliées, “Il pleure dans mon cœur”, voice, m. 1: “Allegro non tanto”, at the head of the song.

Related Terms