Alla breve

A tempo marking indicating a quick duple meter with the half note rather than the quarter note getting the beat (2/2 rather than 4/4). Both the name and the sign are a vestige of mensural notation and of the proportions ( Tempus imperfectum diminutum). See also cut time. In cut-time; two beats per measure or the equivalent thereof. A duple tempo in which the half note gets the beat.