For the third movement of the Creston Concerto the tempo markings is the dotted quater note=120 which is really extreme. I also have a recording of it and its not even close to the dotted quater=120. Is this a misprint and what is the correct tempo?

Joe,

I don't know if it was/is a misprint, or if Creston actually meant to write "120," but needless to say, nobody plays it that fast. (Even if one could play the solo part musically at that tempo, good luck finding a pianist to keep up with you!)

Get it in the neighborhood of mm=100 give or take, and you should be fine, IMHO.

Whether or not you choose to play it that fast, your probably best off learning it up to the written tempo...then you can drop down a few beats to your desired tempo with ease - I try to practice every piece until I can play it cleanly and comfortably above the written tempo - that way you have a margin of reserve which benefits you in many ways!

-Ben

When I performed this piece I, like all other marimbists, also wondered about the tempo marking for the 3rd movement. I found the answer to my question when I searched the PAS archive. In the April 1996 Percussive Notes there is an article titled "The Birth of the Creston Marimba Concerto: An Interview with Ruth Jeanne." Ruth Jeanne is the marimbist who premiered the piece. In part of the article, she talks about her premier of the piece, including that she "didn't play it at MM = 120, and Creston never said anything to me about the tempo." If you are a PAS member, there are also a few other articles regarding the Creston that might be great resources for you.