Prehistoric Music:
* Rhythm and Pulse: Humans have always been attuned to rhythm and pulse. Even early forms of drumming, clapping, and chanting likely had inherent tempos, though these wouldn't have been specifically measured or notated.
* Dance: Dance, a fundamental expression of human culture, inherently involves tempo. Ancient societies likely had dances with specific rhythmic patterns and speeds, suggesting the existence of tempo concepts.
Ancient Music:
* Ancient Greek and Roman Music: These civilizations had sophisticated systems of music theory, including scales and modes, which likely influenced the perception and understanding of tempo. However, their notation focused more on pitch and rhythm, with tempo being less explicitly defined.
* Medieval Music: During the medieval period, music notation began to evolve. While tempo wasn't precisely quantified, terms like "celeriter" (quickly) and "lente" (slowly) began appearing in manuscripts, indicating an awareness of tempo variations.
Renaissance and Baroque Era:
* Tempo Marking: The development of musical notation in the Renaissance and Baroque periods saw the introduction of tempo markings like "allegro" (fast) and "adagio" (slow). While these were still qualitative, they provided a more specific framework for interpreting tempo.
* Metronome Invention: In the 19th century, the invention of the metronome by Johann Maelzel revolutionized tempo understanding. This device offered a quantitative measure of beats per minute (BPM), providing a standardized way to define and communicate tempo.
Conclusion:
Tempo has been an integral part of music since its earliest forms. While its precise definition and measurement evolved over time, its presence in rhythm, dance, and musical notation demonstrates its fundamental role in human musical expression.
Therefore, the earliest origin of tempo can be considered prehistoric, with its development continuing through ancient civilizations and culminating in the standardized tempo markings and metronome of later eras.