I've been learning this piece for the grade 5 exam and have been unable to find a single source that suggests a tempo for the piece. The marking is 'Tranquillo Semplice' but the piece is resonably 'dance like' in character so loses a lot if played too slowly.

I can't find a recording anywhere (whole Naxos catalogue search, nothing on Amazon, not in the RTHK programme as it's an 'alternative piece') the only place I can think of as a source for one is the ABRSM CD, but since all I want is a slight indication of what speed the piece goes at I feel it would be a little wasteful to buy the CD.

I know I should form my own interpretation and do what I think etc. this is currently what I'm doing, but I do like to consider what others have thought in order to make a more informed decision even if I don't agree with what they've done. The problem I'm having is I play it at a certain speed one day and that seems too fast for the character; play it at the same speed another day and it feels too slow .

So if anyone has a recording of this piece (perhaps the ABRSM CD for grade 5) and could tell me the speed it is played on that I would be grateful. Or, of course, if anyone has personal experience of playing/teaching this piece and has an opinion as to what speed it should be played that would be good too .

[quote=AnotherPianist,Oct 3 2005, 02:27 PM]
I've been learning this piece for the grade 5 exam and have been unable to find a single source that suggests a tempo for the piece. The marking is 'Tranquillo Semplice' but the piece is resonably 'dance like' in character so loses a lot if played too slowly.unquote





I played this a few years ago after grade 5 and loved it. I have heard it on the ABRSM CD recently and it is fairly fast. So what you say above is instinctively correct. It is a dance and needs to sound like one - and not like a dance of death or a slow dance. It's got to be light and tripping. It's got to suggest movement! I never really played it fast enough.....

Not sure this helps... but sounds as though you are on the right lines!

SP

Hi AP

I've just played it and make it around 76/152 - aargh - I'll have to improve my aural skills - what's the time signature?

Oh, I suppose it's 4/4, being a gavotte, hmm.....

Thanks to both of you for your comments .

My instinct was to play it reasonably quickly, about the speed Jen suggests actually , but I was concerned by a comment that I read in the teaching notes to be careful not to rush the tempo given the marking 'Tranquillo Semplice'. Since the CD is at roughly the same speed I am going I'll stick with that, it's a relief to have some suggestion of what others think.

Jen: it's actually in 4/4 I would have understood either 76 or 152. It's often hard to tell whether it's 2 or 4 in a bar without the score anyway especially since it depends on how much the player emphasises the first beats anyway. I usually do that by looking at what region the person asking the question states the tempo to be in and then using the most similar, unfortunately I wasn't so helpful as to state a tempo ! Thanks for taking the time to work it out for me, I appreciate it sets my mind at ease for the exam .

The teaching notes suggest 2 in a bar feel. Is it a good 'un for G5 AP? I have a pupil who will be starting the pieces shortly before Christmas and she's already expressed a dislike for most of the pieces in the purple book (her big sis has been showing off I think!)

check www.classicalarchives.com for at least a midi of it maybe?

The recording is roughly minim=86/88. My students play it roughly at that speed. It's a gavotte, but the teaching notes suggest it is played in 2 as someone else has said.

Eeeek - must be something wrong with my metronome Noodle.... - AP, really sorry if I've misled you (can't trust an amateur, can you ?)

....just checked this again & it's still at 76....do I need a new metronome?????