A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Con Brio

CON BRIO, 'with life and fire.' Allegro con brio was a favourite tempo with Beethoven; hardly one of his earlier works but has an example or two of it, and it is found in the overture op. 124, and in the last piano sonata. The most notable instances are the first movements of the Eroica and the C minor, and the Finale of the No. 7 symphonies. Mendelssohn, on the other hand, rarely if ever employs it. His favourite quick tempo is Allegro molto or di molto.

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