 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: proclarinet
Date: 2008-04-26 17:22
I'm playing the Brahms Sonata in Eb for a recital soon, and I have three different people telling me three different tempos to play the beginning and ending sections of the second movement in. I originally learned it at dotted half=57, feeling it in one, like a waltz. My new teacher told me to slow it way down and play it at quarter note=120, which I don't particularly like. Then I started rehearsing with my pianist last week and she thinks I should take it at dotted half=47. I don't know what to do! What is a standard tempo that people around here use? It's been awhile since I listened to a recording, but I seem to remember that it was played at a brisker tempo, closer to what I originally learned.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-04-26 17:48
I’ll be nice, I agree with you, that is about the tempo that I prefer too. I think your teacher’s tempo is much to slow, your pianist a bit to slow. The thing you have to remember is that Brahms didn’t write in a tempo marking and people play tempos by their personal preferences. When I teach, I make my recommendation and allow my students to be creative, within reason of course. If the composer asks for a specific tempo I try to encourage it unless performance tradition dictates something else. Your teacher should give you some leeway, you’re pianist and you should compromise, unless you’re paying her, in which case it’s your recital. ESP
www.peaboody.jhu.edu/457
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2008-04-27 15:29)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: vin
Date: 2008-04-26 17:51
If it's been awhile since you listened to recording, you're not using all the resources at your disposal. There are too many interpretations to have a "standard" tempo. Listening with the score to five recordings is probably more useful than having any of us instruct you. You can search for recommended recordings using the "search" function on this site. I would recommend as many different ones as possible, including, but not limited to- Kim Kashkashian (violist); Harold Wright, Karl Leister, Richard Stoltzman, Pincas Zuckerman (violist); Yona Ettlinger; Joaquin Valdepenas. These recordings are all different and you will like some of them more than others. Having heard many different options for tempo and character will help you make your own interpretation and tempos more convincing.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-04-26 19:18
For me, it just has to go one-to-a-bar. A tempo of 57 is almost ideal.
You have to balance several factors -- a "big" yet graceful affect, a good swing and significant changes in mood -- a vigorous opening and a switch to a lullaby in the second section.
Doing it in 3 at 120 makes it plod all the way through.
Vin's recommended recording are all wonderful. I would add Reginald Kell and Isaac Stern on violin. Ettlinger's recording on a French Erato/RCA LP is different from and I think better than the live on on CD.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mrn
Date: 2008-04-30 23:34
To follow up on what vin said, if you have iTunes, try visiting the "iTunes Store" and play some of the little 30 sec. clips of various players'. It's a cheap and easy way to sample what's out there and see what you like. I personally like Martin Frost's recording.
Incidentally, I ran across an article a while back on the use of wavelet-based signal processing to denoise historical recordings. The researchers in this article used this technology to "restore" (as much as possible) an old Thomas Edison recording of Brahms himself playing his Hungarian Dance No. 1. It turns out that Brahms' own interpretation of the piece was quite different than what you normally hear, and he took a lot of liberties with rhythm and tempo. You can listen to the recording(s) here:
http://www-ccrma.stanford.edu/~brg/brahms2.html
This sort of thing just goes to show you that there is no one "correct" tempo for Brahms.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: elmo lewis
Date: 2008-05-01 00:58
The key to this mvt. is the word "appassionato". ¿Does it really sound passionate if you play it in 3? Does it really sound allegro? Also, the 1st mvt. is also an allegro, a slow allegro. If you play two mvts. in a row with a slow allegro it will be boring. But a slow "amabile" (friendly) allegro followed by a fast passionate allegro provides a lot of contrast. Of course the pianist wants to take it slower-it's a lot harder for her than it is for you!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
