Gurn's Classical Corner

[Leon]

I could not post it yesterday, but I read an article in The New York Times by Anthony Tommasini who's compiling a list of The Top Ten Composers.  In this article he's discussing Classical Era composers, specifically Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert; and trying to decide which to include in the final list. 

Here's a quote:

Yet one of these Vienna masters will have to be eliminated if we are going to leave spots for the giants of the 19th and 20th centuries. Might it be Haydn? Part of his legacy was carried on by his student Beethoven and his younger friend Mozart. I know musicians and critics who would howl at the idea that Haydn, who pioneered the string quartet and wrote some of the greatest works in that genre, would not be among the Top 5, let alone the top 10. What to do? For now, let's put it off.

The print edition had it as one article, but they split it up online, and that quote came from Part Two.

If asked, I'd suggest leaving out Schubert instead of Haydn, but then again, I'm biased.

[Opus106]

If asked, I'd suggest leaving out Schubert instead of Haydn, but then again, I'm biased.

The correct answer, of course, is to the scratch the idea of compiling such a list.

[Gurn Blanston]

I could not post it yesterday, but I read an article in The New York Times by Anthony Tommasini who's compiling a list of The Top Ten Composers.  In this article he's discussing Classical Era composers, specifically Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert; and trying to decide which to include in the final list. 

Here's a quote:

The print edition had it as one article, but they split it up online, and that quote came from Part Two.

If asked, I'd suggest leaving out Schubert instead of Haydn, but then again, I'm biased.

There are no "giants" of the 20th century for whom Haydn needs to be left off. I say that with no fear of contradiction. None, nada, zip... 

[SonicMan46]

Gurn - re-listened to the Flute Trios this afternoon; marvelous disc and quite well done composing making one want to hear more of Cambini's chamber works - 

By chance, I checked out BRO and there was one recording for $8 - per chance, it was the String Quintet disc that had just been recommended by Jerry Dubins in the Nov-Dec 2010 issue of Fanfare - the review is attached - take a look, Jerry screwed up Cambini's dates having him being born before Haydn!  Interestingly, the same dates are listed on BRO - there is some dispute of his dates but the ones given in my previous post (and in the link) are likely much more correct.  But Dubins really enjoyed the recording and I expect the same - Dave 

Cambini, GM (1746-1825) - String Quintets w/ Ensemble Entre'Acte - these works are w/ 2 cellos (like Luigi B., pretty much the same Italian birth dates!) - my second listen and am impressed - this guy wrote nearly 300 String Quartets/Quintets but not sure 'how many' are extant (and of course few seem to be recorded at present) - as above this was a 'cheap' purchase from BRO and worth the price of admission - these are just wonderful representative compositions for their times, and I've always loved Boccherini's use of two cellos, just a deeper sound world for me - can you imagine a BOX SET of this guy's chamber works alone?  Suggestion - at least pick up a few disks if your interest is classical chamber works - 

[SonicMan46]

Well, if you want some of Wolfie's Clarinet Chamber Works and have easy access to BRO (Berkshire Record Outlet), then the CD shown below is available for $6 - Wolfgang Meyer on a reproduction 'Basset Clarinet' & Patrick Cohen on a foretepiano w/ the Quatuor Mosaiques - these are wonderful perfomances worth consideration - 

[DavidRoss]

If asked, I'd suggest leaving out Schubert instead of Haydn, but then again, I'm biased.

Me, too--and I'm not biased.

Hmmm...Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, Mahler, Sibelius, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and either Brahms or Tchaikovsky.  There!  That ought to irritate most everyone!

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, if you want some of Wolfie's Clarinet Chamber Works and have easy access to BRO (Berkshire Record Outlet), then the CD shown below is available for $6 - Wolfgang Meyer on a reproduction 'Basset Clarinet' & Patrick Cohen on a foretepiano w/ the Quatuor Mosaiques - these are wonderful perfomances worth consideration - 

Great disk, Dave. It was one of the ones that convinced me that QM better, for whatever reason, doing Mozart than anyone else they do. Great price for a Naive disk anyway!   



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Now playing:
Consortium Classicum & Academy of St Martin-in-the-Field - Crusell Op 3 Sinfonia concertante in Bb for Clarinet, Horn & Bassoon 1st mvmt - Allegro

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, it has taken me a long time to finally get good recordings that present all of Schubert's Violin & Piano sonatas and other works for V & P, performed on period instruments. Today I finally made that happen. And with a disk that I didn't even know the existence of until last week when I ran across it on eBay!  I bet you guys knew all along and weren't telling me.



Between them, all are there and in excellent performances too. This was even more difficult than the solo sonatas!



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Now playing:
Hélène Schmitt (Violin) / Gervreau, Alain (Cello) / Jansen, Jan (Clavecin) - BWV 1025 Suite in A for Violin & BC 3rd mvmt - Entrée

[Bogey]

Well, it has taken me a long time to finally get good recordings that present all of Schubert's Violin & Piano sonatas and other works for V & P, performed on period instruments. Today I finally made that happen. And with a disk that I didn't even know the existence of until last week when I ran across it on eBay!  I bet you guys knew all along and weren't telling me.



Between them, all are there and in excellent performances too. This was even more difficult than the solo sonatas!

I did not know that Biondi took on Schubert....well!

[Bogey]

PS Is Opus 111 still up and running?

[Gurn Blanston]

I did not know that Biondi took on Schubert....well!

Nor did I. I was more than mildly surprised. I haven't listened to it yet, but the liner notes say he plays in a quite Romantic sort of style.

PS Is Opus 111 still up and running?

Well, don't get me to lying. I thought they were DOA, but then they got involved in that big Vivaldi project with Naïve, so now I don't know at all. Maybe they are part of Naïve now?   




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Now playing:
Itzhak Perlman / David Garvey (Piano) - Leclair Op 9 #03 Sonata in D 3rd mvmt - Sarabande: Largo

[Bogey]

Nor did I. I was more than mildly surprised. I haven't listened to it yet, but the liner notes say he plays in a quite Romantic sort of style.
Well, don't get me to lying. I thought they were DOA, but then they got involved in that big Vivaldi project with Naïve, so now I don't know at all. Maybe they are part of Naïve now?   




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Now playing:
Itzhak Perlman / David Garvey (Piano) - Leclair Op 9 #03 Sonata in D 3rd mvmt - Sarabande: Largo

Their OOP discs can be pricey.  I have been digging around for this one for some time now as I have Vol. 2.

[asin]B000005W4K[/asin]

[Gurn Blanston]

Their OOP discs can be pricey.  I have been digging around for this one for some time now as I have Vol. 2.

[asin]B000005W4K[/asin]

In my experience their disks are always on the pricey side, new or old. But all the ones I have were well worth it. I was afraid to click your link and find out, but I will be surprised if that is not $30 or more. Well, no guts, no glory, Bill. Look that would be 30 licorice pizzas you could easily do without...



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Now playing:
Itzhak Perlman / David Garvey (Piano) - Bloch 'Baal Shem' pt 2  'Nigun'

[Antoine Marchand]

Well, it has taken me a long time to finally get good recordings that present all of Schubert's Violin & Piano sonatas and other works for V & P, performed on period instruments. Today I finally made that happen. And with a disk that I didn't even know the existence of until last week when I ran across it on eBay!  I bet you guys knew all along and weren't telling me.



Between them, all are there and in excellent performances too. This was even more difficult than the solo sonatas!

Olga Tverskaya is an excellent fortepianist and have recorded at least two discs of Schubert's solo keyboard music (Opus 111, too). She also recorded with Biondi a disc of Mozart's violin sonatas.

This is other choice for Schubert's works for pianoforte and violin:



(although this is not exactly a recommendation because I have some problems with Midori Seiler's sound)

[Gurn Blanston]

Olga Tverskaya is an excellent fortepianist and have recorded at least two discs of Schubert's solo keyboard music (Opus 111, too). She also recorded with Biondi a disc of Mozart's violin sonatas.

This is other choice for Schubert's works for pianoforte and violin:



(although this is not exactly a recommendation because I have some problems with Midori Seiler's sound)

Is that a single disk with just the sonatas, Antoine? If so, I would be interested anyway, but I haven't found a problem getting good versions (I also have Jaap Schröder/ Christopher Hogwood doing the 4). It is the Rondo brillant and the Fantasy in C that are killers. AFAIK, the Steck/Hill is the only choice for those. I like them both better than the sonatas, oddly enough, so their scarcity on PI is disappointing.

I like Seiler in some other things (mostly Mozart) that I have her... probably a bad cat.

[SonicMan46]

Well, it has taken me a long time to finally get good recordings that present all of Schubert's Violin & Piano sonatas and other works for V & P, performed on period instruments. Today I finally made that happen. And with a disk that I didn't even know the existence of until last week when I ran across it on eBay!  I bet you guys knew all along and weren't telling me.

Gurn - I have the Steck on MDG V. 2 (assume that their V. 1 covers the others) - instead I own the H. Mundi disc w/ Manze & Egarr, which complements the MDG disc - but looking foward to seeing others and reviewing the comments - Dave 

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn - I have the Steck on MDG V. 2 (assume that their V. 1 covers the others) - instead I own the H. Mundi disc w/ Manze & Egarr, which complements the MDG disc - but looking foward to seeing others and reviewing the comments - Dave 

Dave,
Yeah, I have the v 2 also. And it's true, v 1 is the 3 sonatinas (boy, that disk must be thin!). Finding other versions of that repertoire, the Fantasia and the Rondo brillant have been a stumbling block. And then, I wanted a better version of the sonatinas, and I think this Biondi disk will be it.

[Antoine Marchand]

Is that a single disk with just the sonatas, Antoine?

Yes, Gurn, just sonatas: D 385, 384, 408 & 574.

[mc ukrneal]

I just posted this in the Listening thread, but thought there might be interest here too. Gassman straddles the Baroque and Classical, but I hear enough of the classical style to put him here. In any case, breezy and light stuff (but fun).

[The new erato]

Breezy sounds about right for a guy named Gassmann.