Gurn's Classical Corner

[The new erato]

These have now been boxed at 5 for the price of 2. Sale at europadisc means 17 Vatfree £.

I think I have the Krommer one, but still find this interesting.

[Gurn Blanston]

These have now been boxed at 5 for the price of 2. Sale at europadisc means 17 Vatfree £.

I think I have the Krommer one, but still find this interesting.

As you should! I have most of them, lacking just a couple, I think, and have found them very interesting listening. Many of them were like a new door opening for me into what had been, til then, basically the Era of Mozart & Haydn. Hope they are introduced widely in that box set format.

[mc ukrneal]

Somewhere, here and there (probably while I was looking for Concerto Köln disks) I ran across this one and decided to have a go at it:



Turns off to be really quite interesting and worthwhile...

Yes - these are fine indeed and I second the recommendation heartily.

[Opus106]

These have now been boxed at 5 for the price of 2.

I think I have the Krommer one, but still find this interesting.

Good news. I'd been putting off buying the singles anticipating something like that (as I do for most discs which are part of a series). Now, should I wait for every contemporary of Mozart to be put in an even larger box...? I only hope they have kept the liner notes intact; that's something one tends to lose out on when opting for boxed sets.

[Gurn Blanston]

Good news. I'd been putting off buying the singles anticipating something like that (as I do for most discs which are part of a series). Now, should I wait for every contemporary of Mozart to be put in an even larger box...? I only hope they have kept the liner notes intact; that's something one tends to lose out on when opting for boxed sets.

I don't know the answer to the liner notes question, but if you go to this link you can download the booklet for the Wranitzky disk included in that box, and the same holds true for all other Chandos disks.

[karlhenning]

Nicely done, Gurn! (Your esteemed self became an enjoyable topic as Bruce & I chatted over breakfast yesterday, BTW.)

[Gurn Blanston]

Nicely done, Gurn! (Your esteemed self became an enjoyable topic as Bruce & I chatted over breakfast yesterday, BTW.)

Oh oh, now you're scarin' me, Karl...

It is my cherished hope to make you a classicist. I'll continue working on that...

[Opus106]

I don't know the answer to the liner notes question, but if you go to this link you can download the booklet for the Wranitzky disk included in that box, and the same holds true for all other Chandos disks.

¡Excellente ¡Muchas gracias, Sr. Blanston.

Now, bring on those boxes!

[Gabriel]

Voříšek and Tomášek are 2 names that have come up frequently in my reading, but I have yet to hear anything by them. Voříšek in particular wrote some pianoforte sonatas that look interesting. I am going to see what I can find there. Thanks for the tip.

Gurn, don't tell me you don't have any recording of Voříšek's symphony? You're missing one of the highlights of late classicism!

Voříšek left a small amount of works, but many of them could be chosen for an anthology of classical era. In my opinion, you should buy urgently :

1) The symphony (probably by Mackerras).
2) Piano works (there's a complete recording by Kvapil - modern piano - in Supraphon; otherwise there is a splendid pianoforte performance by Tverskaya of a selection of piano works).
3) Chamber works (there is a compilation played by Klansky and the Kocian Quartet).
4) Sacred music (the recent CD by Štryncl/Musica Florea).

On the other hand, there are very few recordings of works by Tomášek. There is a very enjoyable recording in Supraphon of two piano concertos (I'm particularly fond of the beautiful first subject of the first movement of the first piano concerto). I own a CD with some of his songs and another with one of his Requiem masses (this work is really interesting, but alas, the recorded sound is quite poor).

Finally, people who have not bought the individual CDs of that recent Chandos release (Krommer/Stamitz/Pleyel/Kozeluch/Wranitzky), should really consider buying the set. Beautiful music, beautifully recorded.

[SonicMan46]

Over the course of the last couple of years, member SonicMan has been periodically bringing up a composer named Antonio Casimir Cartellieri. Despite the fact that Dave has consummate good taste, I was tied up enough with other composers at the time that I have it a miss. .........................



So, if the opportunity comes along for you to snap up one of his disks for a tryout, by all means do it. Being a chamber guy, I am particularly taken by his clarinet quartets (of which there are 5 recorded). But if you prefer a good concerto, don't overlook these! 

Hello Gurn - just returned from my 'too short' Virginia vacation, so ready to get back into some thread 'reviewing & responding!' - 

Antonio Cartellieri - glad that you were able to pick up that MDG package (I've not seem it offered and curious about the packaging, i.e. sleeves vs. separate jewel boxes?) - I remember starting a thread on him in the old forum but seemed to generate little interest, which was a lost opportunity for those who enjoy classical wind writing that was well done by this composer.

I don't believe that my collection of his works has increased in recent years - still have 3 of those MDG recordings (Clarinet Concertos & Quartets, & Wind Sextet); also have a CPO disc of the Wind Divertimenti w/ Klocker's Consortium Classicum - this is all wonderful wind music along w/ excellent performances and top-notch recorded sound!  I hope that we might stimulate others to partake -    Dave

[SonicMan46]

Another composer who has been mentioned here a few times but had previously been nearly unexplored by me is Bernard Romberg. Not a clarinetist finally, but in fact a very well-known and highly regarded cellist instead.

Bernhard Heinrich Romberg (b Dinklage, Oldenburg, 13 Nov 1767; d Hamburg, 13 Aug 1841). Cellist and composer, cousin of (1) Andreas Jakob Romberg....................

Gurn - thanks for the information on Bernhard Romberg - I said 'well, I do own a few discs by him' - wrong, I have recordings by his cousin (in bold above)!  So, if you've not explore Andreas (who was born also in 1767!), the SQs on the MDG label are excellent; in the mean time, I'll add Bernhard to my 'wish list' - Dave 

 

[Gurn Blanston]

Hello Gurn - just returned from my 'too short' Virginia vacation, so ready to get back into some thread 'reviewing & responding!' - 

Antonio Cartellieri - glad that you were able to pick up that MDG package (I've not seem it offered and curious about the packaging, i.e. sleeves vs. separate jewel boxes?) - I remember starting a thread on him in the old forum but seemed to generate little interest, which was a lost opportunity for those who enjoy classical wind writing that was well done by this composer.

I don't believe that my collection of his works has increased in recent years - still have 3 of those MDG recordings (Clarinet Concertos & Quartets, & Wind Sextet); also have a CPO disc of the Wind Divertimenti w/ Klocker's Consortium Classicum - this is all wonderful wind music along w/ excellent performances and top-notch recorded sound!  I hope that we might stimulate others to partake -    Dave

Dave,
Gonna have to go to Europe for the box set. I found it at  JPC. Everything you've said about it is true, I have to agree. Of course, I've only been once through it so far, time to sit down and give it a serious listening. I've picked up quite a bit lately that needs that treatment too. So much music, so little time...

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn - thanks for the information on Bernhard Romberg - I said 'well, I do own a few discs by him' - wrong, I have recordings by his cousin (in bold above)!  So, if you've not explore Andreas (who was born also in 1767!), the SQs on the MDG label are excellent; in the mean time, I'll add Bernhard to my 'wish list' - Dave 

 

Ah, I thought you had said string quartets, but I didn't run across any. Mystery solved. I also thought that you had the "Cello and the King" CD. I do recommend that to any that will listen, it's a good disk no matter which of the composers that you are listening to.

[Gurn Blanston]

Old composer (to us) new disk (to me).

I always get Onslow disks when I run across them. I like his music, it is far enough off the familiar that it always seems new to me. So when I saw this one (Op 54, 55 & 56 Quartets):



I did indeed snap it up. And sure glad I did! IMO, this is the best music that Onslow has written, and these guys really play the hell out of it. Not sure if I agree with their fashion sense, but I sure do with their playing. This is the Diotima Quartet, BTW, and here is an Amazon link if you want to have a look. I'm on my third listening and enjoying it more each time.

[Que]

I did indeed snap it up. And sure glad I did! IMO, this is the best music that Onslow has written, and these guys really play the hell out of it. Not sure if I agree with their fashion sense, but I sure do with their playing. This is the Diotima Quartet, BTW, and here is an Amazon link if you want to have a look. I'm on my third listening and enjoying it more each time.

Nice! 

And now for the crucial question: are they .....HIPPIes???

Q

[Gurn Blanston]

Nice! 

And now for the crucial question: are they .....HIPPIes???

Q

Dressed like that? 

No, I'm afraid not. This is one of the very few non-PI disks I've rec'd in the last 5 years or so. It just takes a bit of ear training to get used to the sound of modern instruments. It isn't easy at first, but eventually you get the hang of it.

[SonicMan46]

Old composer (to us) new disk (to me).

I always get Onslow disks when I run across them. I like his music, it is far enough off the familiar that it always seems new to me. So when I saw this one (Op 54, 55 & 56 Quartets):

 

I did indeed snap it up. And sure glad I did! IMO, this is the best music that Onslow has written, and these guys really play the hell out of it. Not sure if I agree with their fashion sense.....

Gurn - LOL!    Reminded me of the Oak Ridge Boys (a group that Susan & I've seen live a few times and enjoy, esp. the bass guy!) - 

BUT!  You & I were quite active in the 'old forum' on the Onslow thread and I now have probably about 10 discs of this fascinating composer - so checked my database; DAMN, no SQs!  Will definitely add this one to my list, esp. after your comments and those of Scott on Amazon HERE!

Thanks for the recommendation - Dave 

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn - LOL!    Reminded me of the Oak Ridge Boys (a group that Susan & I've seen live a few times and enjoy, esp. the bass guy!) - 

BUT!  You & I were quite active in the 'old forum' on the Onslow thread and I now have probably about 10 discs of this fascinating composer - so checked my database; DAMN, no SQs!  Will definitely add this one to my list, esp. after your comments and those of Scott on Amazon HERE!

Thanks for the recommendation - Dave 

Crikey, they're kinfolk! BTW, I always thought the bass in TORB was excellent too. Always admired a good bass.

Good to see that Scott agrees with me. I didn't have anything fancy to say like that, just that I would buy this disk again if I had to.   I know you'll like it, I like his phrase "Schubert-and-water". I've always sort of felt like that, like his music was very good but just lacked that bit of extras punch that put it over the top. This doesn't lack for anything, as near as I can tell...



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Now playing:
The Hanover Band / Goodman - Hob 01 072 Symphony in D 4th mvmt - Finale: Andante - Presto

[Franco]

I did not know that the Diotima Quartet performed the classical repertory - all I have them on is 20th century music -

[Gurn Blanston]

I did not know that the Diotima Quartet performed the classical repertory - all I have them on is 20th century music -

As I understand it, they are just branching out. They won a Diapason d'Or for this, as well as for a modern one they did (Lachnemann and Nono) so apparently they are pretty versatile. You might really like this disk, Franco, It has some excellent playing of some very, very nice music.


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Now playing:
The Hanover Band / Goodman - Hob 01 016 Symphony in Bb 2nd mvmt - Andante