Vivace: Meaning, Speed and Practice Tools
Vivace (Lively, animated, vibrant) covers 121–132 BPM in the classical tempo tradition.Lively and bright.
How fast is Vivace in BPM?
Vivace runs 121 to 132 BPM — quicker than Allegro and noticeably more animated. The word means lively, and the music at this tempo tends to sparkle. Technique starts to matter here: there is less margin for unevenness, and passages that felt comfortable at 114 will expose any weakness in the fingers.
Vivace in classical music
- •Bright, animated and full of forward motion
- •Fast enough that articulation determines clarity
- •Common in movements meant to dazzle
- •Often combined with con brio or leggiero
- •Demands clean finger work from both hands
Famous pieces in Vivace
Violin Concerto No. 3 (1st mvt.)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1775)
A Vivace that demands effortless evenness.
Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor" (3rd mvt.)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1811)
Rondo finale brilliance at full stretch.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (1st mvt.)
J. S. Bach (1721)
A driving Vivace built on relentless rhythmic energy.
Try the Vivace metronome
Try Vivace here — set to 126 BPM, limited to 121–132 BPM for this marking.
How to practise at Vivace
Vivace punishes uneven fingers. Work on the problem fingers in isolation first, slowly, until they are as reliable as the others — then put them back into the passage. Practise here but use the metronome's subdivision, not its click: the quarter note tells you where you are, the eighths tell you whether you are accurate. Go slower than feels necessary. It will feel slow.
Related markings
Questions
How fast is Vivace?
Vivace covers 121 to 132 BPM.
What does Vivace mean?
Vivace means lively and animated — faster and brighter than Allegro.
Is Vivace harder than Allegro?
Usually. At these speeds small inconsistencies become audible and accuracy has to be actively maintained.
What is a good tempo for Vivace practice?
Practise below the marked tempo with heavy subdivision, then raise it gradually rather than playing at full speed from the start.
All markings
Browse every Italian tempo marking from Larghissimo to Ultra Presto: