Loading…
Loading…
At a walking pace, typically 76–108 BPM. From "andare" (to walk).
Andante is the great middle tempo — not slow, not fast. It implies steady, natural forward motion, like walking. Use it for movements that should flow without urgency. Andante works beautifully for theme-and-variation movements where the theme needs to be clearly stated.
Mozart's Piano Sonata K. 331, first movement (Andante grazioso) — the famous "Turkish Rondo" sonata opens with a graceful theme and variations at walking pace.
Andante is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
Browse the full dictionary →