Gurn's Classical Corner

[Gurn Blanston]

Here I'm just guessing, Sorin, but a plausible explanation would be that Mozart and Michael Haydn were composing in Salzburg before Mozart decided to go to Vienna. I'm sure Gurn can offer more facts on this subject than me!

Well, Michael had been Kappelmeister at Salzburg court from the mid-1760's (1763, I think), and it is impossible that he, like everyone else whose music Mozart heard (he was a sponge!) didn't make an impression, probably a large one, on Mozart. I agree that their works sound more similar than the brothers' do. I don't dislike his symphonies, I see him as less inspired in that genre than in others.



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Listening to:   
André Watts - Bia 297-1 Op 27 #1 Sonata #13 in Eb for Piano 4th mvmt - Allegro vivace

[Antoine Marchand]

...it is impossible that he, like everyone else whose music Mozart heard (he was a sponge!) didn't make an impression, probably a large one, on Mozart. I agree that their works sound more similar than the brothers' do. I don't dislike his symphonies, I see him as less inspired in that genre than in others.

You have recalled me this passage of Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Plato, too, like every great man, consumed his own times. What is a great man but one of great affinities, who takes up into himself all arts, sciences, all knowables, as his food? He can spare nothing; he can dispose of every thing. What is not good for virtue, is good for knowledge. Hence his contemporaries tax him with plagiarism. But the inventor only knows how to borrow; and society is glad to forget the innumerable laborers who ministered to this architect, and reserves all its gratitude for him. When we are praising Plato, it seems we are praising quotations from Solon and Sophron and Philolaus. Be it so. Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests and mines and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. And this grasping inventor puts all nations under contribution.

[Gurn Blanston]

You have recalled me this passage of Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Plato, too, like every great man, consumed his own times. What is a great man but one of great affinities, who takes up into himself all arts, sciences, all knowables, as his food? He can spare nothing; he can dispose of every thing. What is not good for virtue, is good for knowledge. Hence his contemporaries tax him with plagiarism. But the inventor only knows how to borrow; and society is glad to forget the innumerable laborers who ministered to this architect, and reserves all its gratitude for him. When we are praising Plato, it seems we are praising quotations from Solon and Sophron and Philolaus. Be it so. Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests and mines and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. And this grasping inventor puts all nations under contribution.

That's great, Antoine. And it speaks to so many great men. There was no one, ever, who was able to take the efforts of so many different people in music and blend them into the truly wonderful, as Mozart did.



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Listening to:
Wilhelm Kempff - Bia 297-2 Op 27 #2 Sonata #14 in c# for Piano 1st mvmt - Adagio sostenuto - attacca

[SonicMan46]

Currently enjoying the Vegh performances of the Mozart works listed below which are part of this bargain 10-CD package.

Wolfie wrote a lot of this & similar music which is not included in this BIG box; I had about a half dozen discs previously labeled as Serenades & Divertimenti, including a couple double-CD sets (below, left, w/ Klocker & Consortium Classicum) - absolutely NOTHING is duplicated in Klocker recordings which led to me reviewing just 'how much' of this kind of music was attributed to Mozart; of course, the Kochel listing in the New Grove Mozart bio showed all and even more of these works - pretty impressive output!

I also found a site HERE that categorizes the Mozart compositions w/ some nice & neat tables - take a look, if interested.  The Vegh recordings are listed there under these categories:  Cassations, Serenades, & Divertimenti; Marches; & Dance Music; the Klocker performances are all in the listing Wind Ensemble, which makes sense; BTW, nothing in the Vegh box is from this category.

Well, believe that I now have a better understanding of these varied catergories, and I'd imagine that a 20+ CD box would be needed to include all of the Mozart works listed in these various groups - 

MOZART - Serenades and Divertimenti - Camerata Academica des Mozarteums Salzburg/ Sandor Vegh

Serenades KV100, KV185, KV203, KV204, KV239, KV250 Haffner, K525 Eine kleine Nachtmusik

Divertimenti KV113, KV131, KV136, KV137, KV138, KV205, KV247, KV251, KV287, KV334

Kontretanze KV123, KV101, KV609, KV610; Kasstionen KV63, KV99; Marches KV62, KV215

Minuets KV222, KV164; Adagio and Fugue KV546; Fantasia KV608;Ein Spass KV522

 

[Gurn Blanston]

Dave,
Those look like excellent choices. I have all those works, but by different performers. As you know, I'm not part of the Cult of the Performer, so that doesn't bother me at all.  

Our modern practice of classifying things really runs into a speed bump when we get to the music of this time. For example, Haydn's earliest 'string quartets' were called variously 'cassatio' (not 'cassation'), divertimento a quadro, just plain 'divertimento, just plain 'quadro', 'sinfonia a quadro', in short, everything but 'string quartet'. And that was by their composer!  I imagine there were plenty of other names available too. It came in handy down the road that someone finally settled on the name. So when we look at Mozart, we find cassation, serenade and divertimento used in about equal proportion, although cassation later fell out of fashion. In modern times we have made a good stab at pigeonholing all these works, but still, telling an orchestral serenade, such as 'Posthorn' from an orchestral divertimento such as 'Robinig' (K 334) takes someone with far more expert an ear than I have.  To me, dividing them up into orchestral and 'pseudo' chamber works the best.




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Listening to:
Capella Augustina \ Spering - Hob 21 02 Die Schöpfung pt 26 - Vollendet ist das große Werk - Trio - Zu dir, oh Herr, blickt alles auf

[karlhenning]

No one puts Gurny in a corner . . . .

[ChamberNut]

Karl, did you ever finish Papa's symphony cycle, or did you stop?  Well, I guess you'll just have to start over from scratch.  0:)

[karlhenning]

Haven't finished yet;  but, it has been a while.

Friday's a-coming . . . .

[Gabriel]

I've been listening to Diana Damrau's splendid CD "Arie di bravura", containing arias by Mozart, Salieri and Righini (exquisitely sung, as one could expect). I am particularly impressed by the two arias by Vincenzo Righini (1756-1812), both coming from "Il natal d'Apollo": I guess I will not exaggerate by saying that they are in the level of a very good Mozart (not the very best, but no doubt very good), and that they compare favourably to Salieri's arias which, competent and original, sound nevertheless a bit rigid.

I wonder if somebody in the forum has listened to any other work by Righini. I've checked the repertoire available on CD, and it is extremely scarce, but I think it's possible that someone among our illustrious GMG posters could have had some contact with it. All contributions will be warmly appreciated.

[Gurn Blanston]

I've been listening to Diana Damrau's splendid CD "Arie di bravura", containing arias by Mozart, Salieri and Righini (exquisitely sung, as one could expect). I am particularly impressed by the two arias by Vincenzo Righini (1756-1812), both coming from "Il natal d'Apollo": I guess I will not exaggerate by saying that they are in the level of a very good Mozart (not the very best, but no doubt very good), and that they compare favourably to Salieri's arias which, competent and original, sound nevertheless a bit rigid.

I wonder if somebody in the forum has listened to any other work by Righini. I've checked the repertoire available on CD, and it is extremely scarce, but I think it's possible that someone among our illustrious GMG posters could have had some contact with it. All contributions will be warmly appreciated.

Gabriel,
Sorry to say that the only Righini I ever heard was by Beethoven. WoO 65 "24 Variations for Piano in D on Vincenzo Righini's arietta "Venni Amore". It's a right smart little piece of music though, dating from <>1790, the end of his Bonn days. As you say, the availability is not what it needs to be. I figure if Beethoven liked him though...




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Listening to:
Christine Schornsheim - Hob 16 06 Sonata #13 in G for Keyboard 1st mvmt - Allegro

[DavidW]

As far as I could find this composer has only been mentioned twice: once on a cello concertos thread, the other as a joke by D Minor.  I couldn't sleep last night so I was listening to the radio and there was a fantastic trumpet concerto.  I thought who could this be?  It was clearly classical in style, but I've already re-listened to the great trumpet concerto of the classical era just a few days ago, Michael Haydn's concerto, and this was not that.  So who could this be?  At the end of the piece it was identified as Neruda's trumpet concerto.

Johann Neruda (according to wikipedia) was a classical era composer known primarly for being chief conductor of the Dresden Court Orchestra.  He wrote several concertos, symphonies and other works.  You can find his trumpet concerto, bassoon concerto, cello concertos and his trio sonatas on cd.

I found the trumpet concerto available for $.89 on amazon mp3!  If you can spare that amount, you are in for a treat.
http://www.amazon.com/Johann-Baptist-Georg-Neruda-Trompetenkonzert/dp/B000YYO8YQ/

If there are any Neruda fans out there, and you have favored recordings I would appreciate if you shared them.

I finally pulled the trigger on that $.89 Neruda trumpet concerto!   And it still sounds simply divine. 0:)  I'm glad I bought it.  If you have a hankering for classical era trumpet concertos, give this a try.   But of course you should realize that I consider Michael Haydn's trumpet concerto to be a great work, so perhaps I shouldn't be trusted!

[Gabriel]

Gabriel,
Sorry to say that the only Righini I ever heard was by Beethoven. WoO 65 "24 Variations for Piano in D on Vincenzo Righini's arietta "Venni Amore". It's a right smart little piece of music though, dating from <>1790, the end of his Bonn days. As you say, the availability is not what it needs to be. I figure if Beethoven liked him though...

Yes, Gurn, that was my only knowledge of Righini too before purchasing the CD. The two arias are really beautiful.

Now about Beethoven... Yesterday evening I went to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Kurt Masur conducting the Orchestre National de France, and playing (what is not very frequent) the complete incidental music to Egmont. We usually tend to associate Egmont with its overture, but the rest of the music is magnificent, one of my favourite Beethoven scores. (As a coincidence, just as in Righini's case, there are two beautiful arias for soprano which I have admired for a long time: Die Trommel Gerühret is particularly effective when listened to in the theater).

[Florestan]

Yesterday evening I went to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Kurt Masur conducting the Orchestre National de France, and playing (what is not very frequent) the complete incidental music to Egmont. We usually tend to associate Egmont with its overture, but the rest of the music is magnificent, one of my favourite Beethoven scores. (As a coincidence, just as in Righini's case, there are two beautiful arias for soprano which I have admired for a long time: Die Trommel Gerühret is particularly effective when listened to in the theater).

How many numbers are there in this work, Gabriel? I've heard it in concert hall too and beside overture, there were two arias and an intermezzo. Is there anything else to it?

Magnificent music, indeed.

[Gabriel]

How many numbers are there in this work, Gabriel? I've heard it in concert hall too and beside overture, there were two arias and an intermezzo. Is there anything else to it?

Magnificent music, indeed.

There is the overture, two arias, four intermezzi, music for the death of Clärchen, a melodrama for the death of Egmont and the final Symphony of Victory (that repeats the final part of the overture). Egmont is like the Eroica: it is "pure" Beethoven. Even if in your case the performance was not a complete one, Florestan, you must be happy and grateful to have listened live to those two beautiful arias!

I was a bit disappointed that the speaker for the melodrama did not read all the text, but just some parts. Even if it was easier to focus on the music, the relationship music-text is so magnificently achieved by Beethoven that a lot of the effect is lost when playing just the music.

[SonicMan46]

Schröter, Johann Samuel (c. 1752-1788) - Piano Sonatas, Op. 1 w/ Luigi Gerosa on a modern piano; my first disc of this composer's works (he was obviously short-lived and not much seems available) - posted earlier in the 'listening thread' which quickly was 'buried', as usual, w/o comments - thought that some discussion here would interest those into this period of music - 

About 1773, he settled in London and was befriended by JC Bach; when the younger Bach died in 1782, Schröter took over as music master to Queen Charlotte (name sake of Charlotte, North Carolina which I visit often - 90 mins from home), wife of George III (who lost the American colonies).  His style was influenced by JC Bach and looked back into the galant-roccoco style, which seems to be well reflected in this disc.  For a while, he was esteemed as the best pianist in England, although the arrival of Clementi overshadowed his fame and also changed the approach to piano playing and composing.

Schröter compositions seem to be limited:  1) 12 Concertos for piano & string orchestra; 2) Sonatas for piano/harpsichord  w/ an accompanying instrument; and 3) Keyboard sonatas, Op. 1; in a letter to his father in 1778, WA Mozart described the piano concertos as 'very beautiful' and wrote cadenzas for three of them.  I would really love to see these compositions offered on 'period' instruments!

Now, the other point of interest is Schröter's widow, Rebecca (1751-1826), who became a pupil of Joseph Haydn on his London visits, and apparently a love interest despite a 20 year difference in their ages; Haydn claims that he would have married her if possible - a little more of the story HERE, for those interested - and might be a stimulus for some more posting on Papa Haydn's love life - 

[Florestan]

There is the overture, two arias, four intermezzi, music for the death of Clärchen, a melodrama for the death of Egmont and the final Symphony of Victory (that repeats the final part of the overture). Egmont is like the Eroica: it is "pure" Beethoven. Even if in your case the performance was not a complete one, Florestan, you must be happy and grateful to have listened live to those two beautiful arias!

Thanks for the info.

[karlhenning]

Here's something for some fine Sunday, Gurnatron!

"Longueur" van Beethoven

[Gurn Blanston]

Here's something for some fine Sunday, Gurnatron!

"Longueur" van Beethoven

Now, if they start off with Celi, they might could make TWO days out of it...

[karlhenning]

 

[SonicMan46]

Hammer, Franz Xaver (1741-1817) - Sonatas, Viola da Gamba w/ Simone Eckert & Hamburger Ratsmusik; instruments include Eckert on the Viola da Gamba, and others on Cello, Theorbo, and keyboard (harpsichord or fortepiano) -  posted the images below in the listening thread yesterday; a new arrival which was highly recommended in the American Record Guide - believe that I have just one other disc by this group, Hamburger Ratsmusik.

The liner notes are of interest and well done by Simone Eckert - she uses a period instrument built by J.U. Eberle, who was active in Prague in the second half of the 18th century.  Hammer became a cellist in the court orchestra of Prince Nikolaus I in 1771; of course, the Kapellmeister was Joseph Haydn, who along w/ the prince became fans of the new string player; apparently he was the second highest paid member of the band, just below Haydn, himself!  In 1778, he left that employment for reasons not explained.

The viola da gamba ('knee fiddle') gradually fell out of favor during the 18th century and was replaced by the cello; however, the instrument apparently was quite popular in its time.  Carl Abel & Anton Lidl were considered outstanding 'gamba' players, both dying in the late 1780s; the last (hence the name of the CD) of the great gambists were Joseph Fiala & Franz Hammer, passing away in 1816 & 1817, respectively. 

The works on this disc are nearly all by Hammer (a couple tracks of Carl Abel) - fun disc w/ old instruments and a transitional feeling of nostalgia while listening -