a tempo
Return to the original tempo after a deviation.
In Depth
A tempo means in time and instructs the performer to return to the original tempo after a deviation — such as a ritardando, accelerando, or a passage marked freely. It acts as a reset, restoring the pace established at the beginning of the piece or section. The marking is essential for maintaining structural coherence. Without a clear a tempo after a rubato or slowing passage, performers might drift further and further from the original speed. In ensemble music, a tempo is the conductor's cue to bring everyone back into alignment. It appears constantly in Classical and Romantic scores, often after expressive liberties.
Some conductors are famous for their reluctance to return a tempo after a rubato passage — Leonard Bernstein was known for stretching tempos so far that orchestras had to guess when the original speed would return.