Klarinet Archive - Posting 000080.txt from 1997/07

From: deerich@-----.net
Subj: Re: tempos (skippable for many non-beginners)
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 17:01:49 -0400

Mark Charette wrote:
>
> Any reputable metronome will give you guidance (this
> topic is a bit serendipitous since my clarinet teacher &
> I were discussing it at mylesson today).
>
> Anyway, from my trusty Wittner taktell Piccolo (I don't
> like the sond of an electric :-)
>
> Largo - 40-60
> Larghetto - 60-66
> Adagio - 66-76
> Andante - 76-108
> Moderato - 108-120
> Allegro - 120-168
> Presto - 168-200
> Prestissimo - 200-208
>
> The discussion I had with my teacher centered around allegro
> - I have to tongue 16ths at an indicated allegro in my
> practice book, , and I *know* I can't do that (yet) at an
> indicated speed of 120 to the quarter note. The ranges are
> much more flexible, it seems, than what was marked on my
> metronome (Jay said he'd be happy if I can do the tonguing
> at 84 bpm, and, indeed, on his metronome that was marked as
> the low end of allegro).
> --
> Mark Charette "How can you be in two places at once
> charette@-----.com when you're not anywhere at all?"
> http://sneezy.mika.com/clarinet - Firesign Theater

The speeds are VERY much more flexible than a metronome would indicate.
It is realy more if the music feels right. I have pieces that are
practically all half notes that I use with my (beginning) daughter and
if played at what metronomes call adagio, even she would never get past
the first measure before falling asleep. Many composers past and
present pay no attention to the marked classifications. Besides that
the metronome wasn't even invented until sometime in the 1800's and
tempo markings were more subjective than substantive.

Actually, the word allegro simply means LIVELY if one goes back to the
original Italian, so tongued 16ths at 84 bpm would fit the meaning of
the term. That is pretty lively. So as you can see the word allegro is
not necessarily a word specifying a particular speed.

So basically you need to evaluated the music, the composer, the era, and
how does the piece seem to sound at that tempo.

   
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