Vivo

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff, either alone as a heading or after another tempo word (Allegro vivo) or a comparative (Più vivo, Meno vivo). As a heading it lasts until the next tempo word; Più vivo and Meno vivo are relative to whatever tempo is running.

How Composers Use It

Vivo names liveliness — brisk, quick, alert — and dictionaries treat it as a near-synonym of vivace rather than a fixed step on the tempo ladder, so do not rely on it to mean a particular speed. Its meaning sharpens in combination: Allegro vivo adds edge to a fast pace, and Meno vivo lets the energy relax without naming a slow tempo. Add a metronome mark where the speed matters.

Example

Scriabin, Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53, m. 120: “Meno vivo”, marked accarezzevole, with “rit.” in the bar before and “molto rall.” and “a tempo” in the two bars after.

Related Terms