ALLEGRO, in Music, a Word used by the Italians to denote one of the six Distinctions of Time. See TIME. Allegro expresses a very quick Motion, the quickest of all excepting Presto. The usual six Distinctions succeed each other in the following Order: Grave, Adagio, Largo, Vivace, Allegro, and Presto. It is to be noted that the Movements of the same Name, as Adagio or Allegro, are swifter in Triple than in Common Time. The Triple 3/4 is usually Allegro, or Vivace; the Triples 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, are most commonly Allegro. See TRIPLE.
