Gurn's Classical Corner

[Gurn Blanston]

What if, as an example, we point out that when houses became 'electrified', a nationwide grid was not exactly in place overnight? ; )

Well, not outside of Boston, anyway...

Yes, that's the sort of thing. But really, other than you and I, who really thinks that way all the time about everything?  No, Classical Era, 1770-1800. Bang, that's it. Then we are Fully Romantic until WW I.  It is just so neatly configured for lazy intellects.... hey, just sayin'...

[Sorin Eushayson]

All true. There is a preconception, and not just in music practice, that as of a certain date, something or other took place (an invention, an idea, whatever) and suddenly and without looking back, the entire 'industry' changed overnight. All of this stuff was gradual and incomplete. At this point in history, it is likely going to be difficult to convince people that they need to start thinking in shades of gray....

Aye.  There's another notion floating around there that instruments changed as a result of the pursuit for a better sound; in reality, much change was for the want of ease of play and practicality.  Steel strings do not require as much tuning as guts and can be manufactured; valved brass is more durable and easier to play than older models; and, as has already been mentioned, a Steinway can fill a room and more!

[Opus106]

Gurn, have you heard about this? [EDIT: I now see that you have.] H. C. Robbins Landon passed away a few days ago.

I wasn't able to find a reference to this event in the forum, therefore I'm posting a link to the obituary from The Telegraph here.

[SonicMan46]

Just left a short post in the listening thread - quoted below w/ a pic of the disc; this is one of my first sojourn's into the kind of 'daily' music, and I'm sure there was a tremendous variety during Mozart's times - appears that these 'wind ensembles' (the Stadler bros belong to one!) were quite popular - probably a lot of wind performers around who needed the money! 

But I must say that the recording from MDG w/ Klocker (who wrote, as usual, some excellent liner notes) and the CC is an excellent and pleasant listening - review quoted HERE from Fanfare; so, I would be curious about others' experience w/ this type and style of music; I'm sure that MUCH was written/transcribed/transformed/etc. and how much survives and has been recorded, and if the latter, is this indeed must the muzak of the day or worth a listen?  Thanks all - Dave 

Sussmayr, Franz Xaver (1766-1803) - Der Spiegel von Arkadien transcribed into a 'wind octet + bass' by Johann Nepomuk Wendt and played by Klocker & the Consortium Classicum - this was part of an eclectic order from BRO which was awaiting me and will likely occupy much of the weekend.

Apparently, these 'wind transcriptions' of various works, esp. those for stage, were quite popular back in those days and were played throughout the day & night - kind of the muzak of the times? 

I don't know much about Sussmayr (except his completion of the Mozart Requiem), and this is my first disc of his music (although obviously transformed for wind ensemble) - but I love the Consortium Classicum and the MDG label; plus, the music is quite pleasant - apparently one of his most popular operas!

[springrite]

Just left a short post in the listening thread - quoted below w/ a pic of the disc; this is one of my first sojourn's into the kind of 'daily' music, and I'm sure there was a tremendous variety during Mozart's times - appears that these 'wind ensembles' (the Stadler bros belong to one!) were quite popular - probably a lot of wind performers around who needed the money! 

But I must say that the recording from MDG w/ Klocker (who wrote, as usual, some excellent liner notes) and the CC is an excellent and pleasant listening - review quoted HERE from Fanfare; so, I would be curious about others' experience w/ this type and style of music; I'm sure that MUCH was written/transcribed/transformed/etc. and how much survives and has been recorded, and if the latter, is this indeed must the muzak of the day or worth a listen?  Thanks all - Dave 

I see this is still available at BRO...

[SonicMan46]

I see this is still available at BRO...

Paul - yep, just received my disc from BRO (in a 8-CD order) - their price is $7 - Dave 

[Gurn Blanston]

Dave,
Looks like an interesting disk. Thanks for introducing the topic of Harmoniemusik. Indeed, it was among the most popular genres of the time.

In the early 1780's (81 or 82), in keeping with his policy of minimal ostentation, Emperor Joseph II dismissed the bulk of his house band and kept the wind players (2 clarinets, 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 bassoons & double bass) to play around the house for his amusements. Following the human practice of imitating what the boss is doing, soon all the aristocracy had done the same. This group was called a Harmonie, also a wind octet. It wasn't long, of course, before all of the composers were either adapting or else composing specifically for wind octet. Wendt is a good example; AFAIK he never wrote an original piece of music, but in the 20 or so years that he worked at it, he became the premier adapter of music in Vienna. By far the most popular tunes for adaptation were opera arias. Virtually all operas with any popularity quotient were adapted for Harmonie. In a liner note booklet I read the statistic that in the period from 1780 to 1820, there were over 10,000 adapted scores made in Vienna alone!!

If you want to wee a Harmonie in action, watch a DVD of Don Giovanni. Near the end, at the big feast, you will see and hear some stuff by Mozart and Solér with (hilarious) narrative by Don and Leporello. True comedy.

[Opus106]

[Taking the attention off Harmoniemusik]

a DVD of Don Giovanni.

Do you have a favourite, Gurn? Even though I'm not interested in opera in general (at the moment, anyway), I have wanted to watch (yes, watch, as opposed to listen -- so no audio CDs) the later operas by Mozart ever since I watched Amadeus. Specifically, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflöte.

[Gurn Blanston]

[Taking the attention off Harmoniemusik]

Do you have a favourite, Gurn? Even though I'm not interested in opera in general (at the moment, anyway), I have wanted to watch (yes, watch, as opposed to listen -- so no audio CDs) the later operas by Mozart ever since I watched Amadeus. Specifically, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflöte.

Well, I'm an opera newbie myself, Navneeth, so I certainly won't suggest something over your head. Of course, I started out with Mozart, figuring if I couldn't like him, then I would never like any opera at all. I got a 6 DVD set from the Glyndbourne opera that has DG, Figaro, Magic Flute, Idomeneo, Cosi and Abduction from the Seraglio in it. It is, like any other box set, not the best possible version of each of these operas, but a very watchable version of each of them, and a great starter set for a newbie (I only paid $70 for the set, brand new!). One thing I like is that all of them are performed in authentic style, IOW, Figaro doesn't take place in Greenwich Village 1957 or anything like that.

[Opus106]

Thanks, Gurn. Instruments and playing apart, I'd prefer period settings myself. And speaking of Glyndebourne, I came across a single DVD of Don Giovanni a few days ago at a local store. Not having heard or read anything about that particular performance, I didn't take the plunge. I don't remember the cover that well, but I think it could have been this one. Is this the one included in the set that you have?

[Gurn Blanston]

Thanks, Gurn. Instruments and playing apart, I'd prefer period settings myself. And speaking of Glyndebourne, I came across a single DVD of Don Giovanni a few days ago at a local store. Not having heard or read anything about that particular performance, I didn't take the plunge. I don't remember the cover that well, but I think it could have been this one. Is this the one included in the set that you have?

I don't think so, that one looks newer than mine.

This is the one that i have. It is not period instruments, BTW, just costumes and sets and such.

[karlhenning]

Figaro in Hell's Kitchen, love it!

[Opus106]

It is not period instruments, BTW, just costumes and sets and such.

Oh well, we've got to live with we can get.

[Gurn Blanston]

Figaro in Hell's Kitchen, love it!

Mozart does West Side Story...

Hell, that's nothing compared to what they really do to him!   Lis used to tell me about various productions and just creep me out.

[Gurn Blanston]

Oh well, we've got to live with we can get.

Oddly enough, I have a Gardiner "Magic Flute" on period instruments that is very modern in other aspects. Twyla Tharp-ish dancers and all.

[SonicMan46]

In the early 1780's (81 or 82), in keeping with his policy of minimal ostentation, Emperor Joseph II dismissed the bulk of his house band and kept the wind players (2 clarinets, 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 bassoons & double bass) to play around the house for his amusements. Following the human practice of imitating what the boss is doing, soon all the aristocracy had done the same. This group was called a Harmonie, also a wind octet. It wasn't long, of course, before all of the composers were either adapting or else composing specifically for wind octet. Wendt is a good example; AFAIK he never wrote an original piece of music, but in the 20 or so years that he worked at it, he became the premier adapter of music in Vienna. By far the most popular tunes for adaptation were opera arias. Virtually all operas with any popularity quotient were adapted for Harmonie. In a liner note booklet I read the statistic that in the period from 1780 to 1820, there were over 10,000 adapted scores made in Vienna alone!!

Harmonie (Fr., Ger.); Harmoniemusik (Ger.) - just wanted to understand this term more, although Gurn's explanation above pretty much covers the topic.  My previous understanding was similar to the term Tafelmusik, 'table music' - but the latter seemed to have changed its definition(s) over time evolving more toward 'small band' music to accompany meals?

But Harmonie or Harmoniemusik was a term used for a 'wind band' or 'wind section' of an orchestra, typically a group of 6-8 performers on various wind instruments.  Joseph II and subsequent wealthy courts maintained a similar collection of musicians to perform music during festive occasions or dinner, as mentioned by Gurn.

The repertory of music, such as sernades for 'sextet' or 'octet' by Mozart, Hadyn, Krommer, et al is included in this category of composition, i.e. music written originally for this group of performers; but in addition would also include transcriptions/transformations/etc. of music already composed, particularly stage works such as operas.

This tradition apparently emerged during the time of Mozart & Haydn and continued into the early part of the next century; apparently two of likely many performers/transcribers of this music were the imperial Harmonie oboists Johann Wendt & Joseph Triebensee - Wenzel Sedlak is another one mentioned during Beethoven's times; so an important industry, esp. in Vienna - kind of like Tin Pan Alley - 

P.S. Sources - web searches & the Oxford Companion of Music

[Gurn Blanston]

Dave,
Yes, those are the Big Three; Wendt, Sedlak and Triebensee. By and large I've noticed that all the better adaptations that I have were made by one of them.

Back in 1782, when Mozart's father asked him for a symphony for a celebration in Salzburg (which came to be known as the Haffner Symphony #35), Wolfgang at first put him off saying that he had to hurry up and compose a Harmonie for The Abduction from the Seraglio before someone else did and made all the money from it. IIRC, it hadn't even been performed yet, so it shows how stiff the competition was even then, sort of like getting a digital video camera into a movie today and then selling bootleg DVD's.



----------------
Listening to:
New York Vocal Arts Ensemble - Hob 25c 9 Song for Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass 'Abendlied Zu Gott'

[Sorin Eushayson]

Oddly enough, I have a Gardiner "Magic Flute" on period instruments that is very modern in other aspects. Twyla Tharp-ish dancers and all.

I've always felt it odd when HIP directors stage an opera using a modern premise.  To be frank, I don't want to see Don Giovanni wearing a leather jacket or Idomeneo in a business suit!

[Opus106]

Who else was out there writing works for the piano in the mould of Beethoven and Schubert? (Around the same time, of course.) For the past many days, I have felt that I could survive just on the klavierwerke of these two composers. In fact, these days I don't feel like listening to anything else. And before you ask: Bach is excluded from "anything else."

FYI: I have John Field's nocturnes.

[The new erato]

Dussek maybe? I seem to remember that Staier had a couple of good discs?