Which tempo marking indicates very fast and lively?

• A. Prestissimo
• B. Presto
• C. Vivacissimo
• D. Allegro

Answer: (C)

Tempo markings tell you how fast to play and the mood to feel. For “very fast and lively,” the marking that fits best is the one that means “very lively.” That is vivacissimo, an intensified form of vivace (lively). It signals a speed and character that are brisk and animated, more extreme than just lively.

Prestissimo means extremely fast—even more speed than very fast. Presto is very fast but not as extreme as prestissimo or as intensely lively as vivacissimo. Allegro is fast and bright but generally not as rapid or as animated as vivace or vivacissimo. Vivace is lively, but vivacissimo goes a notch beyond in both speed and energy, making it the right choice for “very fast and lively.”