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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000089.txt from 2008/02

From: philfrei@-----.com
Subj: [DR-L] Tempo in Britten Phantasy Quartet
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:30:30 -0500

Has there been an article or some other source that has suggested tempo
markings for Britten's Phantasy Quartet? Pretty consistently on the
newer recordings, some of the tempos seem really rushed. Maybe this is
because I first heard the Gomberg interpretation, and that has stuck
with me.

For example, at 5 after (5) "Allegro" is modified by the term "guisto."
When I've come across that term before, as in Vivaldi's Oboe Concerto
in F, a tempo marking in the vicinity of 108 or so (lower end of
Moderato) seems reasonable. Taking it faster (126 - 160 is where
Allegro is marked on my metronome) seems frantic, working against the
character of the piece.

I got into a discussion about this the other day with another oboist
who is teaching the quartet, and remembered the sections as having
metronome markings, or that there was an article with metronome
markings. But my Boosey & Hawkes set has none.

Phil Freihofner
Oboist, Composer, Publisher
Albany, CA
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