What do people think is an ideal tempo (if there's such a thing) for the first movement of Haydn's Sonata in D, XVI 37? (You around, fsm? ) Although I'm a very big fan of Alfred Brendel, I think he plays this a bit too fast! It can lose its sparkle if it pushes on too quickly. What do you think?

Sorry only just seen your message, Im not sure off hand which of the several D Majors it is (I'm not at home for two days), I suspect that its the one with the fairly easy Rondo for the last movement that was linked to the first movement by a short D Minor section.
If it is that one then I agree that the first movement can be taken too fast. You then tend to lose clarity in the section with left hand semiquavers. I dont think Ive heard Brendel's version, my recording of all the Haydns are the Naxos lot by Jeno Jando.

Thanks for the reply! I'm not sure if we're talking about the same one. The one I'm talking about is the one that opens with the acciacatura from C# to D, with the mordent (E F# E F#) in the same bar. It was on Trinity Grade 8 at one time, and the last movement is Grade 5 or so. The suggested tempo in the old Grade 8 book is 112, and while I think this is too pedantic, it sounds like a completely different piece of music at Brendel's speed! He certainly doesn't lose any clarity but the character is very different at this pace and I think I prefer it slower.

I actually played this for my own Grade 8 and am trailing it out again for a performance now. I probably played it at about 115 at the time for safety's sake, and can manage it faster now, but I'm not sure how far to go.

P.S. The movement ends on an F#! (RH thirds.)

Yes thats the one. It just cannot be taken too fast otherwise as I said. When I get home tomorrow (Im away at the moment) I'll time myself to see what speed I take it.

I have just had a quick "go" at this D major Haydn. I think I play crotchet to 120 ish...
Allegro Con Brio!

hero

Thanks, guys!
I might just settle myself on 120-125. Much more than that and it loses the 'brio', I think.

Finally played it last night and timed it. It was 125.6 !

Cheers, fsm!
It's good to hear others' thoughts because there is such a huge difference between Brendel's version and the Grade 8 requirement. I didn't want to play this too slowly in case any real Haydn afficionados in the audience think to themselves, "Good grief, she's erring a bit on the cautious side." Another reason why I don't want to be too slow is that I've told all the others playing that we don't want anything too long, and I don't want to break my own rules! (It's a concert organised in a church by a couple of teachers for the best of the pupils, ourselves, and a few musical friends.)