con brio
tempokon BREE-oh
With spirit and vigour — a performance direction indicating lively energy.
Con brio instructs the performer to play with animated, spirited energy. It typically modifies a tempo marking: allegro con brio means fast with spirit, creating a more specific character than allegro alone. The direction affects the performer's attack, rhythmic precision, and overall sense of forward drive.
Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 opens with the marking Allegro con brio — and the explosive energy of those famous four notes perfectly embodies what the marking demands. Con brio passages should feel electrifying and purposeful, with a sense of barely contained energy.