Gurn's Classical Corner

[Gurn Blanston]

Huzzah!
 
Emended . . . .

Dare we say "EFT"? 

No, the bloodletting involved in removing Newman from that forum was far less graceful and amusing as what we managed to pull off, I'm afraid.

[karlhenning]

I think we showed extraordinary aplomb in that episode . . . .

[Gurn Blanston]

I think we showed extraordinary aplomb in that episode . . . .

I still swell with pride...  0:)

[SonicMan46]

Oh, I found that quote this AM on the Mozart Forum, and in fact it is the Wölfl quartets that he is speaking of:

First this:  Keep away from the "Authentic Quartet". Their instruments may be authentic, but they seem to think that this is enough and that playing off pitch must be part of the authenticity.

and then this followup:  I only know their recording of the Wölfl quartets which is hideous......

I don't think you can fault me for being tentative. It would be nice if someone could put the lie to this. Although I have been familiar with this guy for a few years and he has always been reasonable. 

Hello Gurn - well, the term 'hideous' brings to mind another word for me hyperbole! 

Now, I do not own the recording in question, so cannot make any specific comments, sorry - 

But, this afternoon I did listen to my two discs w/ the Authentic Quartet shown below; the Vanhal disc is enjoyable and I particularly like Spanyi on the fortepiano - I believe that you would like this recording - another opinion HERE; the Albrechtsberger SQs are also well done - cannot find an alternate opinion? 

This Quartet has a Website HERE and certainly is not a bunch of amateurs picking up some string instruments from the local pawn shop!  They may not be the best SQ on the planet (and a few comments are made on some reviews of their recordings concerning their abilities)  - but their repertoire is such that there is little comparison?  I'll be curious about opinions of the Wölfl CD from others who have heard the disc before I decide on a purchase?   Dave 

 

[Gurn Blanston]

Hello Gurn - well, the term 'hideous' brings to mind another word for me hyperbole! 

Now, I do not own the recording in question, so cannot make any specific comments, sorry - 

But, this afternoon I did listen to my two discs w/ the Authentic Quartet shown below; the Vanhal disc is enjoyable and I particularly like Spanyi on the fortepiano - I believe that you would like this recording - another opinion HERE; the Albrechtsberger SQs are also well done - cannot find an alternate opinion? 

This Quartet has a Website HERE and certainly is not a bunch of amateurs picking up some string instruments from the local pawn shop!  They may not be the best SQ on the planet (and a few comments are made on some reviews of their recordings concerning their abilities)  - but their repertoire is such that there is little comparison?  I'll be curious about opinions of the Wölfl CD from others who have heard the disc before I decide on a purchase?   Dave 

 

  Thanks for the dissenting opinion, Dave. No, you're right, hyperbole. But even discounting that the whole thing was a bit OTT. And the other disk he mentioned there turns out to be the Richter quartets on Christoforo, so you can see he isn't just anti-PI in general. Yikes!

Well, I'll start with the Vanhal in any case, and then have a better idea about the Krommer, Albrechtsberger and Wölfl. Certainly not music that I want to miss out on.



----------------
Listening to:
Manfred Huss - Haydn Sinfonietta Wien Miah Persson - Hob 24b:20 Concert aria for Soprano "Solo e pensoso"

[SonicMan46]

Some 'new' acquisitions for me (quote from the listening thread just posted below) - have not reviewed this thread to see if these two composers have been discussed, but have just one other disc of Eichner - really would be interested in comments of other clarinet discs by Lefevre and recommendations of Eichner (he apparently wrote 31 Symphonies which are extant!) - thanks all - 

Lefevre, Jean (1763-1829) - Clarinet Quartets w/ Eduard Brunner on the clarinet + string trio; this is a wonderful recording w/ compositions by a Swiss-French virtuoso/professor/writer/teacher who spanned French aristocracy & Napoleon w/o losing his head!  Excellent reprinted review from Jerry Dubins HERE (Fanfare, Jan-Feb '10) - appears that 'modern' instruments were used, which would have disturbed Lefevre after reading the liner notes and Dubins comments!

Eichner, Ernst (1740-1777) - Symphonies w/ Werner Ehrhardt & l'arte del mondo - these are from that transitional classical period performed by a 'period instrument' group - excellent review in the current Jan-Feb issue of the Am Record Guide - have one disc of flute works by this composer - 


 

[DavidW]

So what's the best entrance to Wölfl's music?

[Gurn Blanston]

So what's the best entrance to Wölfl's music?

Gotta be the piano sonatas. This was his main thing, all else is just going along and expanding his horizons. That Op 28 disk with Laure Colladant is a nice start, IMO.

[DavidW]

I have to take back what I had said about musical jokes in the past.  I thought that they were only "funny" in some dry academic sense, i.e. unfunny.  But I was listening to one of the Haydn Op 50 string quartets on the radio last night (live recording by the Doric String Quartet) and they had a fake ending.  It ended and everyone started applauding... and then they started again.  Everyone in the audience laughed, and I did too!

Everyone, what are your favorite musical jokes from the classical era?  And are there other notorious pranksters besides Haydn?

[MN Dave]

There's the Three Nuns Walk Into A Bar quartet. 

[Opus106]

I have to take back what I had said about musical jokes in the past.  I thought that they were only "funny" in some dry academic sense, i.e. unfunny.
<snip>
Everyone, what are your favorite musical jokes from the classical era?

Welcome to the club, David. I discovered some Haydn jokes myself just a couple of months ago. But I won't say anything about them right now -- it will spoil the fun! (You can search my posts if you are curious. )

[SonicMan46]

So what's the best entrance to Wölfl's music?

Hello David - glad to see you back!  Hope all is well w/ you - 

Concerning the question above, I agree w/ Gurn - try one of Piano Sonatas disc shown in my previous thread; both are quite enjoyable - Dave 

[Antoine Marchand]

And are there other notorious pranksters besides Haydn?

Well, Schornsheim and Staier:


http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=10231914-fae


BTW, welcome back, David! 

[DavidW]

Hello David - glad to see you back!  Hope all is well w/ you - 

Concerning the question above, I agree w/ Gurn - try one of Piano Sonatas disc shown in my previous thread; both are quite enjoyable - Dave 

Well both of you are saying the same thing so guess that'll be what I go for.

[SonicMan46]

Benda, Franz (1709-1786), brother of Georg Benda - searching this thread, there has been a lot of discussion on Georg, but little on his brother, Franz, who was a violinist and composer - he spent most of his adult life in the court of Frederick the Great,  an excellent flautist, often playing w/ Benda and other members of this orchestra, such as CPE Bach.

I'm currently listening to the Flute Concertos below w/ Laurence Dean on a Baroque instrument + a period instrument band - the playing and recording are superb; but this is only my second disc of F. Benda's many compositions, most written for violin.  If interested, check out the Wiki article HERE - he wrote 17 Symphonies, 28 Violin & Flute Concertos, 182 Sonatas w/ b.c. for a variety of instruments (mostly violin), 10 Trio Sonatas, 31 Violin Duets, and 110 Violin Capriccios for solo instrument!

The only other disc that I own of his works are Violin Sonatas (w/ harpsichord) - so, with all of the compositions listed above, there must be some great discs to contemplate! 

 

[MN Dave]

Has there ever been a really bad Haydn recording? I think his music is impervious! I picked up a Naxos piano concerto disc recently and, as usual, Haydn delights.

[Gurn Blanston]

Has there ever been a really bad Haydn recording? I think his music is impervious! I picked up a Naxos piano concerto disc recently and, as usual, Haydn delights.

I've never personally got my hands on one, but I've heard that there are a few symphony recordings that might not be quite up to snuff. Haydn has benefited from some sympathetic interpreters even back in the days of full-blown "bigger is better" post-Romantic orchestras. The "101 Strings" effect is never correct with Haydn, but he didn't get that nearly as often as Mozart did (and still does, on occasion...

[MN Dave]

I have some Karajan Haydn. Is this of what you speaketh?

[Gurn Blanston]

I have some Karajan Haydn. Is this of what you speaketh?

Well, a lot of people love that... stuff, so I can't be more specific, but certainly you are going down the right... um, wrong road there.

[MN Dave]

Well, a lot of people love that... stuff, so I can't be more specific, but certainly you are going down the right... um, wrong road there.

Well, it came in a big symphony box set with the other stuff he's actually good at.