A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Presto

by J. A. Fuller-Maitland

PRESTO, 'fast,' indicates a rate of speed quicker than allegro, or any other sign except prestissimo. It is generally used at the beginning of movements, such movements being as a rule the last of the work, or the finale, as for instance, Beethoven's sonatas, Op. 10, No. 2; Op. 27, No. 2; Op. 31, No. 3. It is used as the 1st movement in Sonata, Op. 10, No. 3, and in Op. 79. When the time becomes faster in the middle of a movement, Più presto is used, as for instance in Beethoven's Quartet in E♭ (Op. 74), 3rd movement (Presto), where the direction for the part of the movement that serves as the trio is 'Più presto quasi prestissimo.' A curious instance of the use of this direction is in the pianoforte sonata of Schumann, Op. 22, where the 1st movement is headed 'Il piú presto possibile,' and in German below 'So rasch wie moglich.' At 41 bars from the end of the movement comes 'Più mosso,' translated 'Schneller,' and again, 25 bars from the end, 'Ancora più mosso,' 'Noch schneller.'

[ J. A. F. M. ]