Comments on: Enescu String Octet http://jennifergrucza.com/blog/archives/2005/05/26/enescu-string-octet Web Development, Classical Music, Kitties, and whatever else I feel like Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:37:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5 by: mary hofman http://jennifergrucza.com/blog/archives/2005/05/26/enescu-string-octet#comment-1421 Sun, 17 Jul 2005 12:09:55 -0700 http://jennifergrucza.com/blog/archives/2005/05/26/enescu-string-octet#comment-1421 I am trying to learn the third vln part of the enesco octet very rapidly - festival in three days. I find the metronome markings of the second movement very curious and basically unplayable - minim=80 and I have to fit 12 notes into every minim. the opening tempo of the second mov (minim=132) also seems almost twice as fast as I would expect and the closing tempo of minim=200 is just absurd! unfortunately I've never heard the piece and haven't time to listen to a recording. Does anyone know whether the metronome markings are accurate or not? I am trying to learn the third vln part of the enesco octet very rapidly - festival in three days. I find the metronome markings of the second movement very curious and basically unplayable - minim=80 and I have to fit 12 notes into every minim. the opening tempo of the second mov (minim=132) also seems almost twice as fast as I would expect and the closing tempo of minim=200 is just absurd! unfortunately I’ve never heard the piece and haven’t time to listen to a recording. Does anyone know whether the metronome markings are accurate or not?

]]> by: Jennifer http://jennifergrucza.com/blog/archives/2005/05/26/enescu-string-octet#comment-1422 Sun, 17 Jul 2005 14:36:52 -0700 http://jennifergrucza.com/blog/archives/2005/05/26/enescu-string-octet#comment-1422 Hi Mary, I happen to have a copy of the viola I part of the Enescu, so I sat down with my metronome and the St. Martin-in-the-Fields recording. The tempo they take in the beginning of the second movement is more around 118 per half note. In the Moins vite section, they take it around 72 or 74. So they're somewhat slower than the markings, but still in the same ball-park. The Extremement vite tempo they play right on the dot of 200 bpm. Unfortunately I don't gave a copy of the Kremer recording right now, but I do know that their tempos were definitely different in certain spots. I don't remember if they were faster or slower - they might have taken some of those spots in the second movement slower, but I'm not sure. I think those 12-tuplets in the lower violin parts are mostly atmospheric, more of a gesture than anything. The first violin and viola parts are the ones that make more sense, probably, when considering the metronome markings. But yes, it is definitely fast. Hi Mary,

I happen to have a copy of the viola I part of the Enescu, so I sat down with my metronome and the St. Martin-in-the-Fields recording.

The tempo they take in the beginning of the second movement is more around 118 per half note. In the Moins vite section, they take it around 72 or 74. So they’re somewhat slower than the markings, but still in the same ball-park. The Extremement vite tempo they play right on the dot of 200 bpm.

Unfortunately I don’t gave a copy of the Kremer recording right now, but I do know that their tempos were definitely different in certain spots. I don’t remember if they were faster or slower - they might have taken some of those spots in the second movement slower, but I’m not sure.

I think those 12-tuplets in the lower violin parts are mostly atmospheric, more of a gesture than anything. The first violin and viola parts are the ones that make more sense, probably, when considering the metronome markings. But yes, it is definitely fast.

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