Where do these crazy ride names come from and what exactly do they mean?
They are all musical tempo markings. To get the full flavor you must pronounce them in true Italian singsong. Larghetto is a derivative of Largo (which is the slowest tempo) but is a bit faster, reflecting the fact that the Larghettos definitely go faster than slow. Allegretto is a derivative of Allegro (which means lively and ‘con moto’) but is a bit slower, definitely more moderate. Presto, well, we all know what it means, it’s veloce, rapid, quick and fast.
