Double Bass Tempo on Handel's Largo

[Beginner Bass]

My school has a solo-ensemble competition coming up. My solo is Handel's Largo from Xerxes. I need a good tempo I can set a metronome too to practice with. I have found everything from 56-64 BPM. Sorry, I'm (as you can probably tell) new to the DB forum.

 

[neilG]

Is this the piece? I'm not familiar with a bass transcription of it.

 

[Michael Glynn]

I would probably err on the faster side, especially if you are something of a beginner as your user name indicates. That piece can sound really great slow, but it can also kind of die if not handled well. At the faster end of your range it has a little feeling of forward motion, while at the slower end it almost has an out-of-time feel. If you play really beautifully and expressively the slow tempo might work great, but you might risk putting the judges to sleep.

You might be interested to know that in the original opera, the piece is actually marked "larghetto" which is a little faster than largo.

 

[Beginner Bass]

Thanks Michael. I think I'll go with faster. I am a relative beginner, as I'vo only been playing about 1.5 yrs.

And Neil, yes, that is the one.

 

[Beginner Bass]

Had to take it up to about 70 due to time constraints for the performance.

 

[Matt Ides]

I'll be doing a much simpler version in a few weeks, but I did find this version for bass.
Largo von Handel doublebass solo - YouTube
I really like this one as well.
Stjepan Hauser: Largo from the opera Xerxes by G.F. Handel - YouTube