Vivace BPM

156 — 176 BPM

Vivace — Lively and fast

Typical midpoint: 166 BPM · 361 ms per beat

What is Vivace?

Vivace means "lively" and is faster than Allegro. The marking implies energetic, driving motion with a sparkle of joy. At 156-176 BPM, Vivace is common in drum and bass, fast punk rock, virtuosic classical finales, and Italian tarantellas.

What does Vivace mean?

Etymology: From the Italian "vivace," meaning lively, vivacious, or animated. Same root as English "vivid" and "vivacious."

Literal translation: Lively and fast

History of Vivace as a tempo marking

Often used for finale movements requiring brilliance and speed. Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms all wrote celebrated Vivace movements. In Italian opera, Vivace marks dance numbers requiring nimble footwork.

Famous Vivace pieces

Piece	Composer	BPM
Symphony No. 4 "Italian" (Saltarello, Presto)	Mendelssohn	168
Symphony No. 7 (Vivace, 1st mvt)	Beethoven	152
Concerto in A minor (Vivace, 1st mvt)	Vivaldi	162

Modern genres at Vivace tempo

While Vivace originated as a classical music marking, the 156-176 BPM range covers many modern genres:

Drum and bass (~174 BPM)
Punk rock
Fast jazz
Tarantella

Vivace compared to neighbouring tempos

Marking	BPM Range	Meaning
Allegro (slower)	120-156	Fast and lively
Vivace	156-176	Lively and fast
Presto (faster)	176-200	Very fast

Want to check if your track is at Vivace tempo?

Use the Tap Tempo Tool

See the full tempo markings guide, browse BPM by genre, or check the BPM reference for any specific tempo.