The only thing I have in mind when I play a fantasia is my own fantasy... No
rules for tempo for such pieces (apart a few based on vocal models, where
you can follow the original song tempo)
My 2 cts...
Val
----- Original Message -----
From: "Suzanne Angevine" <[email protected]>
To: "Lute List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 6:26 PM
Subject: [LUTE] tempos in Francesco Fantasias
Yesterday I got out a Francesco Fantasia I hadn't played in awhile. Its
one of the easier ones, since I'm not that advanced a player. But I
thoroughly enjoyed playing it - the counterpoint, the expressiveness of
it. Later in the day I listened to a CD of a big name player doing
Francesco pieces. What struck me most was the utter contrast between what
I had enjoyed about playing the music, and what I heard. Not just on the
same Fantasia, but almost the entire CD was BRIGHT, and very PERKY
sounding. In thinking about it, I felt that this effect was due almost
entirely to the fast tempos chosen. Now this player has exceptional
technique, and can play fast and cleanly. And it is to be admitted that
the CD is rather old, and may no longer represent the player's point of
view on Francesco exactly. But it got me thinking about tempos. Someone
on this list recently commented that folks generally try to play too fast.
Is there some actual musicological evidence somewhere that says what
tempos should be used? Or do moderns just play fast because we live in a
fast paced world, and playing well fast shows off our skill? A moderate
tempo on the Fantasia in question allows some time and space for
expression of the music to bloom, but a fast, perky tempo just makes it
sound like pyrotechnic display, not what would earn a player the name of
"il divino". So, any musicological evidence for proper tempos in
Francesco's music?
Suzanne
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