A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Tempo Ordinario
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TEMPO ORDINARIO (Ital.), common time, rhythm of four crotchets in a bar. The time-signature is an unbarred semicircle
, or in modern form
, in contradistinction to the barred semicircle
or
, which denotes a diminished value of the notes, i.e. a double rate of movement. [See Breve; Common Time.] In consequence of the notes in tempo ordinario being of full value (absolutely as well as relatively), the term is understood to indicate a moderate degree of speed. It is in this sense that Handel employs it as an indication for the choruses 'Lift up your heads,' 'Their sound is gone out,' etc.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Mensural_time_signature_4.svg/12px-Mensural_time_signature_4.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Commontime.svg/12px-Commontime.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Tempus_impf_prol_min_dim.svg/16px-Tempus_impf_prol_min_dim.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Allabreve.svg/12px-Allabreve.svg.png)
[ F. T. ]