What is the term for the speed at which a piece of music is played?

The term that describes the speed at which a piece of music is played is tempo. Tempo indicates how fast or slow the music should be performed and is typically measured in beats per minute (BPM). Musicians rely on tempo markings, such as "Andante" for a moderately slow pace or "Allegro" for a quick tempo, to convey how the piece should be interpreted.

The other terms have distinct meanings in music. Dynamics refer to the volume of the music, indicating how loud or soft notes should be played. Timbre relates to the unique quality or color of a sound that distinguishes different instruments or voices. Notation refers to the system of writing music down using symbols, to communicate how to play the music. These terms are important in music but do not specifically refer to the speed of the performance, reinforcing the correctness of tempo as the term in question.