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In my Chester edition, the 1st piece (assez modéré) is marked quarter note = 444. Does anyone else have this marking in their score? (I would post an image but I don't see how to.)

I also have the Chester Edition (mine is marked 45th edition at the top of the first page), and the tempo marking is clearly indicated at 144 = quarter note not 444! I checked three Youtube videos and the first piece is performed at that tempo. 144 = quarter note looks fast, but it could actually be considered assez modéré.

Does that ease your concern?

Regards,

To be honest, I was hoping to engage more with this forum and this question about the metronome marking was an opportunity. My score is marked Chester Ltd. at upper left of the cover, Belwin Mills at bottom of cover and Edition W. Hansen at bottom of 1st page (not the 1st page of the score.) Yes, I have seen the 144 number elsewhere and curiously my edition says "revised edition by the composer, 1962." I play the piece a bit slower (than 144) but that's a different issue altogether. Thanks!

Interesting score observation.

Here is some more (probably useless) trivia. We have the same revised version, but evidently by different publishers:

On the front cover of mine, centre of page, under title:
- ("Revised Edition by the Composer, 1962")

Bottom centre:
- J. & W. Chester Ltd. London

Bottom left:
- Norsk Musikforlag A/S Oslo
- A.B. Nordiska Musikforlaget Stockhom

Bottom Right
- Wilhelm Hansen, Musik-Forlag Copenhagen
- Wilhelmiana Musikverlag Frankfurt a. M.

On my title page (page 1) under the title and under the listing of the three movements:
- J. & W. Chester / 11 Great Marlborough Street / London, W. 1.

Printed in England.

Regards,

Almost like a whodunit! :-)

I have the Alfred Masterwork score edited by Maurice Hinson from 2005. The 1st movement also has the metronome marking of quarter note = 144. I crossed it out and wrote in 120, so that’s about how slowly I played it.

It certainly is a mystery why one Chester edition would post a metronome marking of 144 = quarter note and another copy by a different publisher would post a metronome marking of 444 = quarter note! That's an unheard of tempo.

Was this not a typo in your original post?

Regards,

No, my post stated 444 definitely. I suspect that it's a typo on the score, not my post. I know French piano music tends to be faster than others, but 444 is really pushing it. :-)

I play it about 126, except maybe the 1st measure a tad slower, hopefully unnoticed.