Adagio

Slow and stately

In music, "Adagio" means to play slowly. If there is "Adagio" in the score, it means that the piece or part needs to be played at a slow tempo. In general, 66 to 76 beats per minute is considered to be a suitable tempo for Adagio.

The word "Adagio" is formed from the Italian phrase "Ad agio". Literally, "Ad agio" means "At ease". In other words, "Adagio" means that the music needs to be played in a "slow and ease" way.

Example of Adagio

Adagio for Strings (Samuel Barber)

Writer: Frankie Chan