Largo. Vivace. Adagio. These words may sound like dishes one can order at an Italian restaurant, but they’re actually very important directions found in a musical score. 

Tempo—an Italian word meaning "time"—tells musicians and listeners how fast or slow a piece of music should be performed. If a composer didn't include a tempo marking in his or her score, the resulting music might sound like chaos. 

This video explores the concept of tempo—what it means, how it's used, and why it's such an integral element of music—all with some help from two bearded lumberjacks.