Con spirito

As Printed on a Score

Most often part of a tempo heading — Allegro con spirito — printed above the staff at the head of a movement; less often alone in a part. In a heading it lasts for the movement or until the next tempo word.

Also spelled: spirito

How Composers Use It

Con spirito asks for liveliness of mind as much as of body: bright, alert, witty playing with clean rhythm. In Allegro con spirito it shades the tempo toward brilliance without asking for extra speed; it does not license rushing. Mozart’s Haffner Symphony opens with the heading and Brahms closes his Second Symphony with it. Its cousins are spiritoso, the adjective, and con brio, which leans more toward vigour.

Example

Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, fourth movement, m. 1: “Allegro con spirito”, with the strings beginning p and “sotto voce”.

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