Prestissimo: Meaning, Speed and Practice Tools
Prestissimo (As fast as possible) covers 169–200 BPM in the classical tempo tradition.Extremely fast — as fast as it goes.
How fast is Prestissimo in BPM?
Prestissimo runs 169 to 200 BPM and means as fast as possible. At roughly three notes a second on the beat, this is the fastest standard tempo marking and there is no tempo above it in common use. It belongs to concert finales and free cadences, where the players are expected to be at the very edge of their technique.
Prestissimo in classical music
- •Extremely fast, the fastest standard marking
- •Reserved for concert finales and cadenzas
- •Requires complete technical mastery rather than practice alone
- •Typically played with the full weight of a large ensemble
- •A finishing tempo rather than a working one
Famous pieces in Prestissimo
Étude Op. 25 No. 1
Frédéric Chopin (1836)
The first of the Études Op. 25, still a formidable sight-read.
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Friska)
Frédéric Chopin (1880)
A Prestissimo of staggering virtuosity.
Piano Concerto No. 1 (3rd mvt. — Allegro molto e vivace)
Frédéric Chopin (1830)
A finale that sits right at Prestissimo speeds.
Try the Prestissimo metronome
Try Prestissimo here — set to 184 BPM, limited to 169–200 BPM for this marking.
How to practise at Prestissimo
Prestissimo is not a practice tempo — it is a finishing tempo. Get there by building through the whole range in order and letting the metronome trainer carry you the last stretch. Practise the passages leading up to it so you can play them without thinking about the tempo change. Much of what gets called Prestissimo is actually played at the bottom of the range, and nothing improves accuracy faster than not exceeding it.
Related markings
Questions
How fast is Prestissimo?
Prestissimo covers 169 to 200 BPM.
Is there anything faster than Prestissimo?
Not in standard notation. Ultra Presto sits beyond it, and once you are past 200 BPM you are generally marking your own speeds.
What is the difference between Presto and Prestissimo?
Prestissimo is roughly 12 to 30 BPM faster than Presto, and is reserved for the very fastest passages.
How do I reach Prestissimo?
Work up through every tempo in order using a metronome trainer, and do not skip the middle ranges — most speed problems are built there.
All markings
Browse every Italian tempo marking from Larghissimo to Ultra Presto: