My 8th grade son is working on Suite in A Minor: Overture by Telemann on his flute for regional music contest. I am inquiring for suggestions regarding tempo for the second/fast part. The tempo in the music is marked at a dotted quarter note=96. The one recording we have found has the tempo at around 80. Just wondering if any of you have played this piece and what tempo you would recommend.

I have rarely heard the second part of the overture that fast, the main idea is for him to play it at a tempo where it is comfortable for him with clean notes and rhythm...80 is fine, it always sounds faster if all the notes are there anyway..the problem with music from that era is that they didn't use metronomes yet, so you may hear a wide range of tempi on recordings...

Thanks for your response. My son isn't playing it at a tempo of 80 (that was the tempo of the one recording we found). My son is playing the tempo at around 70-76 depending on how clean he wants to play it. What tempos have you heard it played at typically. His band director is trying to get him to play it as fast as he possibly can but he is running into problems with getting all the notes when he tries to go faster. I am trying to get an idea of the typical tempo so he knows what to work toward. Thanks.

I would say 80 is a reasonable tempo, just remind him that the secret to playing fast is to practice SLOW, fast and sloppy will never sound good...just find a comfortable tempo and work up on the metronome gradually...

Thanks for your input. It is very helpful.

well said..

If you do it slowly, you'll get there early,

But if you do it quickly, you'll get there late.

-Tibetan Proverb

well said as well, I will remember that one...

Thanks, my oboe teacher told me that one. She's a really neat teacher =D.

Again thanks for all your input. His flute teacher (not his school band director) also said the same thing to him.