2. Why did Beethoven use words for the tempo marking and not the actual BPM (Beats per minute) number?

Question

There were no stable metronomes in his day
He was deaf
He was fluent in Italian
He was ahead of his time

Answer 1

The correct answer is: There were no stable metronomes in his day.

During Beethoven's time, metronomes were not reliable or widely available. Therefore, instead of using the actual BPM number, Beethoven used descriptive words such as allegro, andante, or adagio to indicate the tempo. These words provided a more subjective indication of speed or mood, allowing musicians to interpret and perform the music accordingly.