Presto
Very fast, about 168 to 200 beats per minute.
What it means
Presto means “fast, quick” in Italian and designates a very fast tempo. As a guideline, about 168 to 200 beats per minute are often given; these figures vary by edition and depend strongly on the time signature and note values. In an alla breve bar or with a beat on the dotted quarter, the same number means something different than in four-four time.
Within the framework of the fast tempo words, presto stands above allegro and below prestissimo. Compared with vivace, which stresses above all liveliness, with presto the speed itself stands in the foreground. Additions such as ma non troppo or con fuoco refine the marking; presto assai and presto molto intensify it.
In the notation
The marking stands above the first staff of a movement or section and often becomes the movement's name. Typical are alla breve bars and a beaming into large groups, which shows the eye the larger units. Metronome numbers next to it often come from the editor and are to be read as a guideline.
Musical use
Presto heads closing movements of sonatas, symphonies, and concertos, virtuoso character pieces, as well as fast sections within multi-part movements. In opera it stands over final sections in which the plot comes to a head. Characteristic is a continuous movement in small note values that creates the impression of restlessness. As an intensification toward the end of a work, a prestissimo occasionally follows still.
Presto often stands over Classical finale movements and demands great lightness and precision. In the Classical period it is a common tempo marking for finale movements.
Performance practice
Count in large units — usually whole bars or halves — so that the movement does not fall apart into individual beats. Keep attack, bow, or tongue brief; large movements cost time that is lacking at this tempo. Determine the tempo at the densest passage and practise it first. Work out the metric accents, otherwise the continuous movement sounds uniform. And check entries after rests especially carefully: at a high tempo, most inaccuracies arise there.