Is there a recommended tempo for the D major Prelude of WTC Book 2?

Just before the recapitulation the semiquaver fingerwork gets quite busy and I find myself having to be careful to let the lyricism of the suspensions sing out without the LH sounding rushed. When I reach the recapitulation it somehow seems slower than in the opening, rather like slowing down when coming off the motorway!

Metronome at crotchet = 66 - 69 feels about right with 72 sounding rushed. Slower than 66 and those opening 'trumpet' fanfares seem to plod a little.

I don't want to set off too quickly but I like the gentle swing when it hits the right pulse.

Anyone else tried this one?

I like this one. I would agree with your suggestion of crotchet = 66-69 although I find that whenever I play anything by Bach, whatever starting tempo I think is right, it always finds its own tempo after a few bars.

What edition are you using? I usually use the Wiener Urtext which is very 'clean' but I also have to admit to possessing the abominable Tovey AB edition... Tovey suggests setting the tempo from bars 33-40.

Have fun with the piece - it's lovely!

Since I'm preparing the piece for my Dip' ideally I'd like to find that from the outset. I've played through it today a few times since lunchtime and crotchet = 66 now seems to allow those bars 33-40 to speak.

I too have the Tovey, from my schooldays (as a pupil). A few years back I invested in the Henle.Verlag Urtext edition, allowing me to leave the Tovey at school (as a member of staff); there I used it as an 'In an emergency, break glass!' copy for those occasions when I needed to chill out!

Initially, I was going to choose Bach's Toccata in D (from his 7 harpsichord toccatas BWV 910 - 916) but having already decided on including a Schubert Sonata it wouldn't have allowed much room for manouevre with two other pieces to fit in too. It has been a worthy replacement.