alla breve

Alla breve, also known as cut time, uses a time signature of 2/2 instead of 4/4. Each measure has two beats rather than four, with the half note getting one beat. This gives the music a broader, more flowing feel even when the notation looks dense. The symbol for alla breve is a C with a vertical line through it. Marches, fast waltzes, and many Baroque movements use cut time. For performers, thinking in two rather than four helps maintain forward momentum and prevents the music from feeling heavy or plodding.