Gurn's Classical Corner

Started by Gurn Blanston, February 22, 2009, 07:05:20 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: SonicMan on November 26, 2010, 01:49:58 PM
Gurn - listened to the Wranisky brothers 'Wind Sextets' this afternoon (4 on the disc w/ 3 by Paul) - I believe that you would be pleased!  :D

Also researched that Symphony offering by Supraphon - 2 discs w/ 4 works (2 are duplicated on my Bamert disc), so may consider adding that to my 'wish list'!  The listing of his works on the Wranisky Site HERE is amazingly large!  I forgot how much he wrote when I acquire those 2 discs - may be his thread by our dubious former GMGer should be revitalized? Attached is a screen capture of the 2-disc set mentioned - Dave  :)

Ah, well that track listing is interesting, since it shows also the Op 52 Symphony in D that is on MY other disk also (the cpo). Ultimately, I have 3 of the 4 of those. :-\ 

I checked out my New Grove today; that article from that person is cribbed from them. I don't know about revitalizing the thread, seems like our attention span is suitably configured for a page or 2 here. I'll just copy that post over here as what it is, and we can get some mileage out of it. I was hoping to have some conversation about his position in Viennese musical hierarchy as much as his discography... :)

8)

----------------
Now playing:
Concerto Armonico \ Szüts  Miklos Spanyi (Fortepiano) - Wq 019 Concerto in A for Keyboard 3rd mvmt - Allegro assai
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

Gurn Blanston

#1381
From 'The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians'

Paul Wranitzky (Pavel Vranicky)  (1756-1808)

Czech composer, conductor and violinist active in Vienna, brother of Anton Wranitzky. He studied singing and the organ, violin and viola at the Premonstratensian monastery grammar school in Nová Ríše, and later at Jihlava (1770–71). At Olomouc he studied theology and became an excellent violinist. At 20 he went to Vienna, where he entered the theological seminary and served as its choirmaster. He continued his musical studies with J.M. Kraus (the Kapellmeister to the Swedish court, who visited Vienna in about 1783). Suggestions he was also a pupil of Haydn remain unsubstantiated.

He served as music director for Count Johann Baptist Esterházy in the spring of 1784 and was appointed director of the newly created Kärntnertortheater orchestra in October 1785, a position he held until 1787, when he joined the Burgtheater orchestra. He was named its director in either 1792 or 1793. In about 1786 he started composing symphonies; he was asked to write one for the coronation of Franz II in 1792. He also composed several works for the private use of Franz's second wife, Marie Therese (1772–1807). Wranitzky conducted a gala performance of his Singspiel Oberon during the coronation festivities of Leopold II at Frankfurt (15 October 1790). During the next 15 years Wranizkty composed at least another 20 works for the stage. He maintained his position with the court theatres until his death in 1808 when his brother Anton replaced him.

Wranitzky played a prominent role in the musical life of Vienna. Both Haydn and Beethoven preferred him as a conductor of their works: Haydn insisted on his direction of the Viennese performances of The Creation (1799, 1800), and at Beethoven's request he conducted the première of that composer's First Symphony (2 April 1800). From 1805 he alternated with Gyrowetz as head of the Adelige Liebhaber- oder Cavalier-Konzerte of Vienna. Wranitzky was a member of the same freemasons' lodge as Mozart, 'Zur gekrönten Hoffnung' and after Mozart's death served as a legal mediator for his widow in her negotiations with the publisher André. As secretary of the Viennese Tonkünstler-Societät he succeeded in settling Haydn's lengthy quarrel with the society in December 1797. His friendly relations with Haydn are documented by Wranitzky's letter to John Bland (12 December 1790) and by Haydn's letter to Wranitzky (3 September 1800). Beethoven's personal relationship with both Paul and Anton Wranitzky is shown in Czerny's memoirs. Weber visited Paul Wranitzky in Vienna in 1803.

Wranitzky composed 51 symphonies, most of which have four movements in the standard Classical order, frequently with a slow introduction. The public performance of his Grande sinfonie caractéristique pour la paix avec la République françoise op.31 was forbidden by an imperial resolution (20 December 1797) as the title of the work was felt to be provocative. Like Beethoven's Eroica, this symphony contains a funeral march as the slow movement, which is given the subtitle 'The Fate and Death of Louis XVI'. Wranitzky also published 56 string quartets, the majority of which are set in the three-movement format of the Parisian quatour concertant. In these works Wranitzky explored the emerging Romantic style with daring harmonic progressions, theatrical gestures, and virtuoso display. Wranitzky's music quickly fell out of favour after his death, as noted by Fétis: 'The music of Wranitzky was in fashion when it was new because of his natural melodies and brilliant style. He treats the orchestra well, especially in symphonies. I recall that, in my youth, his works held up very well in comparison with those of Haydn. Their premature abandonment of today has been for me a source of astonishment'. Wranitzky's best-known stage work and also one of his longest-surviving compositions was his first Singspiel 'Oberon'. The enthusiastic reception of this work in Vienna prompted Schikaneder to conceive Die Zauberflöte for Mozart, whose setting shows certain striking resemblances to Wranitzky's work. Goethe considered Wranitzky the most appropriate composer to set his Zauberflöte zweiter Teil, and sought his collaboration (letter, 1796). Oberon was eclipsed in popularity only in 1826 by Weber's opera of the same name. Even more popular in their day were Wranitzky's ballets, particularly Das Waldmädchen. The symphonic movement below has a series of remarkable similarities to the Overture to Mozart's, 'Le Nozze di Figaro'.

8)


----------------
Now playing:
Concerto Armonico \ Szüts  Miklos Spanyi (Fortepiano) - Wq 014 Concerto in E for Keyboard 1st mvmt - Allegro
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

SonicMan46

Gurn - thanks for posting the information on Paul Wranitzky - I may go ahead and order that 2 disc set of symphonies on Supraphon (repeats 2 I own but likely in quite different interpretations, plus 2 more) - will look for other works of interest, too?  BTW - I thought that he was born the same year as Wolfie, i.e. 1756 - you gave 1758, is this a debated issue - just wondering?  Dave  :D

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: SonicMan on November 26, 2010, 02:55:15 PM
Gurn - thanks for posting the information on Paul Wranitzky - I may go ahead and order that 2 disc set of symphonies on Supraphon (repeats 2 I own but likely in quite different interpretations, plus 2 more) - will look for other works of interest, too?  BTW - I thought that he was born the same year as Wolfie, i.e. 1756 - you gave 1758, is this a debated issue - just wondering?  Dave  :D

Nope, you're right. !2/30/56. Instead of copying out of Groves, I just copied that other post (after reading them side-by-side) and I failed to note the obvious typo. Damn, you just can't count on some folks  >:(  (myself included, I reckon!  :D )

Thanks, amigo,
8)

----------------
Now playing:
Prague Chamber Orchestra \ Christian Benda - Benda JA Sinfonia #03 in C 3rd mvmt - Allegro
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

assadourian

#1384
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on November 26, 2010, 06:10:02 AM
By chance we say en anglais : )


Thank you prof. I would much said by accident or "fortuity"  :-X .
But i am not a danger  :D (or a biohazard ....i suppose)
About Vranicky,
you can find so the quartets Op 16 and 33 in SUPRAPHON
For the Symphonie Caracteristique , i recommand more the Griffith version with full orchestra
than the London  Mozart Players version with only strings...  (to discuss...)
By many aspects i find Pavel more energic and inspired than his brother Anton , but i admit
that i am not "aware" ( like JC Vandamme) of all their productions ; it is very remarkable to
constating the qualities of these czech-viennese composers : Vanhall, Kozeluh ( Leopold ,decidly
i am not friend with the Anton's) , Gyrowetz(Who live until 1850 ! a jurassic composer ),Stepan ,
Krommer...
My prefered are Vranicky and Kozeluh  and if you don't know Stepan , hear his piano pieces
and his piano concerto by Staier ( coupled with Salieri)







assadourian

#1385
Some days before , i made a remark about a new CD i have recept : the symphonies of Danzi
and his only piano concerto :
It gone unnoticed ,but really ,i insist : days after days of listening, the concerto appear very very beautifull ;
the 4 last and especially the 2 last symphonies are outstanding .For some years i had  wind and piano/wind quintets  :
they did'nt "drilled" my hears ,but now i have changed my opinion about Danzi !

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Que on November 27, 2010, 11:43:35 PM
I was planning to post something about this remarkable disc, but I guess you've beaten me to it, Gurn;D

Absolutely great stuff - original and imaginative music. Difficult to describe - please have a listen, but I thought them quite mature as compositions and forward looking in music-historical terms.Those who are into Mozart's violin sonatas and the likes, needn't hesitate! :) I like both performers very much. Amandine Beyer reminds me somewhat of Anton Steck, a favourite of Gurn and myself, strong projection and a firm tone, though Beyer is a bit less fierce than Steck. My first encounter with Edna Stern, but she is an outright winner: perfect interplay and great fingerwork, provides all kinds of shades and nuances with boldness when called for. I saw a reviewer that wrongly assumed that a piano was used and that the word "fortepianist" in the booklet was mistaken. No mistake, though is seems that the wonderfull sound of the Walter replica fools some and the description of the instrument is indeed hard to find. 8)

A resounding seconding of Gurn's recommendation! :)

Q

Ah, Que, glad I'm not the only one sold on this disk. I still have a lot to learn about CPE, when I first saw this I thought 'oh, someone finally transposed some of his flute sonatas for violin. I'll pass'. But Beyer's name being on there spurred me into doing a bit of research and sure enough, there they were. If I can muster up a criticism, it is this; that H545 is somehow connected to his father's BWV 1020 sonata, although how I'm not sure (there is certainly a similarity). The other 3 sonatas were already a set of 4, the 4th being Wq 75 in F major. Probably, yes, they wanted another minor key work, but for my money, the set of 4 without the outlier would have been preferable.

But I quibble when I should be celebrating, since any label that has the artistic foresight to grace an album cover with a parrot in a blizzard is light years ahead of me!   :D

Some other disks by Beyer that I like:



The Matteis, in particular, is a fiddler's dream. The Vivaldi is excellent as I mentioned earlier, and the Rebel is more ensemble playing, and at a very high level. This is a good fiddler, and with exquisite taste in repertoire.

8)

----------------
Now playing:
Dresden Philharmonic \ Herbert Kegel 1982 - Op 125 Symphony #9 in d 4th mvmt - Presto - Recitativo - 'O Freunde nicht diese Töne' - Allegro assai
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

Que

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on November 28, 2010, 07:07:43 AM
(...) since any label that has the artistic foresight to grace an album cover with a parrot in a blizzard is light years ahead of me!   :D

;D

QuoteSome other disks by Beyer that I like:

[IMG

The Matteis, in particular, is a fiddler's dream. The Vivaldi is excellent as I mentioned earlier, and the Rebel is more ensemble playing, and at a very high level. This is a good fiddler, and with exquisite taste in repertoire.

Thanks for the recommendations, particularly the Matteis looked intriguing! I had to Google him: a British based Neapolitan Baroque composer/ violin virtuoso - interesting, I will check him out. :)

Q

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Que on November 28, 2010, 05:05:13 PM
;D

Thanks for the recommendations, particularly the Matteis looked intriguing! I had to Google him: a British based Neapolitan Baroque composer/ violin virtuoso - interesting, I will check him out. :)

Q

I have from years ago a nice disk by The Arcadian Academy (McGegan) of Matteis, so when I saw this one it attracted strongly. Very nice stuff. 



I'll one day find disk 2 of this set, I think I got Disk 1 in 1997... ::)  :D

8)

----------------
Now playing:
Amadeus Winds - K 375 Serenade in Eb for Winds 1st mvmt -  Allegro maestoso
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

Antoine Marchand

#1389
Has somebody heard before the name "Michael Cave"? Apparently, he was an American pianist highly interested in Mozart.

Today I was listening to a disc on NML ("Orion", quite old, I'd say), where Cave plays very, very nicely some Mozart (K. 333, 398, 31 & 540) on a beautiful fortepiano. But on Internet there is almost no information about him/it and that disc -"presented by the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation" (!)- looks rather interesting. :)

 

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on December 02, 2010, 03:20:19 PM
Has somebody heard before the name "Michael Cave"? Apparently, he was an American pianist highly interested in Mozart.

Today I was listening to a disc on NML ("Orion", quite old, I'd say), where Cave plays very, very nicely some Mozart (K. 333, 398, 31 & 540) on a beautiful fortepiano. But on Internet there is almost no information about him/it and that disc -"presented by the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation" (!)- looks rather interesting. :)

Not I. Something to look into though. Hard to think about Sir Yehudi doing PI... :)

8)

----------------
Now playing:
Sinfonia Finlandia Jyvaskyla \ Patrick Gallois - Kraus Incidental music to 'Aeneas in Carthage' pt 04 - Act I, Overture
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

Opus106

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on December 02, 2010, 03:51:50 PM
Hard to think about Sir Yehudi doing PI... :)

Haven't you listened to his Bartók? ;)
Regards,
Navneeth

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Opus106 on December 02, 2010, 09:25:43 PM
Haven't you listened to his Bartók? ;)

My apologies; I overlooked that one!  :D

8)
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

SonicMan46

Rolla, Alessandro (1757-1841) - born in Pavia, Italy a year after Wolfie; he was a violin & viola virtuoso, composer, and teacher (including Paganini).  He was offered the position of director of the La Scala orchestra in Milan in 1802, and remained in that position until 1833.  A fuller Wiki Bio HERE!

He wrote over 500 compositions, mostly chamber works, symphonies, and concertos for violin and viola. I just acquired my first disc of this composer (pic below), which are Viola Concertos; 3 works designated as BI. 541, 543, & 547 - his thematic catalog was published in 1981 by Luigi Inzaghi and Luigi Alberto Bianchi, so BI = Bianchi & Inzaghi.

Harry has made comments in the listening thread on a multi-disc set of Rolla's chamber works. On the Viola Concertos, the performer is Fabrizio Merlini w/ Bruno conducting the Orchestra del Conservatorio di La Spezia - the performances are just excellent and the Tactus production team has done a great job in recording these performances!  Will certainly like to acquire some more Rolla - :)

 

Gurn Blanston

Hey, Dave,
Well, you anticipated me. I recently got a couple of Rolla disks and was quite pleased with them. Thought he would be a good choice for The Corner.

These are my two, chamber works as you requested:



This is very enjoyable music, and proof that classicism indeed made it to Italy and also that someone actually stayed there! :o

One little tidbit that your bio didn't have: Rolla was Paganini's first violin teacher. I think Nicky was 14 when he went to Rolla, who was famous as a violinist, but actually as the premier violist in the country.

Everyone should have at least 1 disk of his music. No disappointments here. :)

8)
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

SonicMan46

Hi Gurn - well as I was off the forum and you were posting on Rolla, I put in a small order on the Amazon Marketplace which included the offerings below:

Rolla, Alessandro - Chamber Works w/ Ruggero Marchesi et al - 4-CD set; Harry recommendation!

Rolla, Alessandro - Flute Quartets w/ Mario Carbotta et al on Tactus - :)

The track listing for the box set in listed HERE - Violin/Viola Duets, SQs, Trios, & Violin/Piano works - a Harry rave in the listening thread a while back - just $20 from an Amazon marketer - seemed to have been the ONLY copy available!  Dave

 



Antoine Marchand

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on December 02, 2010, 03:51:50 PM
Not I. Something to look into though. Hard to think about Sir Yehudi doing PI... :)

It's a complete mystery, although it's possible to download that disc here:

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1034907

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: SonicMan on December 04, 2010, 10:32:03 AM
Hi Gurn - well as I was off the forum and you were posting on Rolla, I put in a small order on the Amazon Marketplace which included the offerings below:

Rolla, Alessandro - Chamber Works w/ Ruggero Marchesi et al - 4-CD set; Harry recommendation!

Rolla, Alessandro - Flute Quartets w/ Mario Carbotta et al on Tactus - :)

The track listing for the box set in listed HERE -
QuoteViolin/Viola Duets, SQs, Trios,
& Violin/Piano works[/i] - a Harry rave in the listening thread a while back - just $20 from an Amazon marketer - seemed to have been the ONLY copy available!  Dave

 

Aha! OK, well I would guess that
QuoteViolin/Viola Duets, ... Trios,....
are the same works that the 2 disks I posted have. String quartets sound interesting. :)

8)

----------------
Now playing:
Cristophe Rousset (Cembalo) - Scarlatti K 140 Sonata in D for Clavier - Allegro
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on December 04, 2010, 10:43:32 AM
It's a complete mystery, although it's possible to download that disc here:

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1034907

Well, Antoine, he appears to have been concurrent with the fortepiano, the keyboard of his tender youth...    :D  Still, we'll keep an eye out. Never know, stuff that comes up on eBay can be a total surprise sometimes.

8)

----------------
Now playing:
Cristophe Rousset (Cembalo) - Scarlatti K 141 Sonata in d for Clavier - Allegro
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

SonicMan46


Rolla, Alessandro - today received the CD packages shown below discussed earlier - listening to the Flute Quartets at the moment; composition dates unclear from the liner notes, but just melodious composing w/ well integrated strings - the flute is quite up front (Tactus seems to be quite good in their sound engineering) - if you like the flute combined w/ strings, then this disc will not disappoint!  :)

The other offering is a 4-disc set (comes in a compact 2-CD jewel box w/ good liner notes) - the first disc comprises Violin-Viola Duets which are wonderfully complex; Rolla was considered a virtuoso w/ these instruments and one of the best of his time - he also was innovative in introducing string techniques which were expanded upon by the likes of Paganini (one of his students).  The second disc is of 3 String Quartets - again excellent compositions, performances, and recorded sound - these are definitely transitional between the classical-romantic eras, i.e. late Wofie-early Ludwig? But the disc is just an enjoyable listen - keep in mind that for just over 30 yrs, this guy was the head of the La Scala orchestra in Milan - his job was to please the audience - I think this carries over into his compositions - all that I've heard to date (not that much considering his extensive output) fulfill that promise - Rolla is another of the 'lost ones' worth exploring - :D

QuoteRolla, Alessandro (1757-1841) - Chamber Music - 4-disc set w/ Ruggero Marchesi et al - just listened to the first 2 CDs today, i.e. Violin-Viola Duets & String Quartets and Flute Quartets w/ Mario Carbotta on flute & the Quartetto Erasmus - for those interested, there has been some discussion of this composer in Gurn's classical thread -  :D