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Topic: Speed of Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Op.23 No 5 (Read 3545 times)

leanne

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Speed of Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Op.23 No 5

on: May 11, 2021, 12:58:22 PM

Hi. I'm currently working on this prelude. I am playing the outer march sections at about 95bpm, does anyone have any ideas on what speed I should play the middle (lyrical section) at?
Thank you.

Also, is 95bpm fast enough for this prelude?

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lelle

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Re: Speed of Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Op.23 No 5

Reply #1 on: May 11, 2021, 01:35:00 PM

Hi and welcome. The middle section is marked "Un poco meno mosso", so slightly less lively than the outer sections. What tempo you choose for this is up to taste, what seems suitable for you if you consider the marking? I would not stare blindly at the metronome number, but listen to yourself or to great pianists playing it on YouTube and determine what seems to fit.

What do you mean by fast enough? Let's say it's hypothetically not fast enough, but a faster tempo is simply beyond your ability right now? (It's good to stretch your comfort zone but trying to force a tempo you are not ready for can harm your technique). Then what can you do anyways? If you feel it needs to go faster but you aren't ready yet, it's ok to let the piece rest and come back to it later

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leanne

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Re: Speed of Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Op.23 No 5

Reply #2 on: May 11, 2021, 05:03:44 PM

Okay, I'm going to take your advice and take a listen to pianists playing the middle section.

I can play very comfortably at 95bpm but I just wondered what a good performance speed would be? Rachmaninoff marks 108 but I feel the prelude is far too rushed at that speed.
Thank you so much for replying to my post!

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lelle

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Posts: 2554

Re: Speed of Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Op.23 No 5

Reply #3 on: May 11, 2021, 09:22:18 PM

You're welcome! I think 108 is fine, and a bit slower is fine

you don't have to play it strictly metronomically but can slightly vary the tempo as well, as long as the listener doesn't notice it's fine

Check this recording with Berezovsky - he moves around in the 95-110 bpm range for the outer sections, as far as I can tell.

Do you feel he sounds rushed?

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