In Allemande, the A1 piece for Grade 8, i know it says metronome mark 56 crotchet beats but does anyone else play it a bit faster? I play at about 65 because i think it sounds a bit better but my teacher said i should slow down to about 60 instead. Just wondering what other people thought...

I'm playing somewhere between 56 and 60.
I think 65 might be in danger of sounding a bit rushed, there are a lot over semiquavers and shorter.
Needs to keep a feeling of moving forward all the time though.

Its a dance, so give the dancers time ....don't want them running about all over the dance floor trying to keep up!

This one is not really meant to be danced to.. more to be listened to really.

(Digs out syllabus - it's the 2nd movement of Partita 4 for those interested....)

Trevor Pinnock plays it at 50 so I think 56 is plenty fast enough.

I think, to do the part writing justice, it's best to stay within the printed speed. Allemande's make good use of the discourse between a dancing couple, and it's important that it comes out sounding as such - pass tune fragments around between the two hands, that sort of thing.

Edit: For reference, Schiff plays it at 63; Gould at 45.

I think the printed metronome mark sounds fine... however, I don't think it would matter a few notches either way- I'd play it at the most natural-feeling speed.

Dance suites usually comprise Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Gigue (with perhaps an extra dance or two between the Sarabande and Gigue), which alternate slow-fast-slow-fast.

Once upon a time they were supposed to include national characteristics: German, French, Spanish and English respectively.

So we have slow Germans in the Allemande, fast French in the Courante, stately Spaniards in the Sarabande and jolly Brits in the Gigue.

[quote=Deborah,Aug 27 2005, 11:24 AM]
Dance suites usually comprise Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Gigue (with perhaps an extra dance or two between the Sarabande and Gigue), which alternate slow-fast-slow-fast.


Speaking of Courante/Corrente, how do the piano teachers on this forum feel about the suggested tempo for Loeillet's Corant (A1 for Grade 6)? It is certainly not a slow, stately Courante (which would be notated in 3/2 and would contain hemiola), so it must be a quick but elegant Corrente. When I first heard the AB recording of the Loeillet Corant, I was reall struck by the slow tempo. The tone and the articulation were beautiful, but I thought the piece should go quite a bit faster.

Thanks everyone! Ive listened to the CD now as well, i think they play it at about 56 anyway, im going to try it at 60 for the time being and see how it sounds...

Definition of Allemande

A fairly slow dance in 4/4 time, commonly the first movement in a Baroque Dance Suite. Later a faster dance in triple time, the forerunner of the Waltz


Gae

The beginning does feel quite slow at the given speed but it means that the later sections don't feel rushed in my opinion. But at the moment I'm having enough trouble playing it at all, so I'm not an expert.

And there is a world of difference between 45 and 63 crotchets per minute!

Always remember, and especially for this period, that these metronome markings were not put there by the composer.

Always remember too that what feels good to play, to you, may not sound so convincing to the listener. Tape the piece at your preferred speed to gauge how convincing it is. If speed is excessive, you may find the performance too flippant. If too slow, you may find the performance too pedantic!

Although your teacher wants 60, not 65, I personally don't see a significant difference between these two and it is unlikely I would know which of the two I was playing at a particular time.

I've not seen the piece BTW.