Gurn's Classical Corner

[Gurn Blanston]

Breezy sounds about right for a guy named Gassmann.

Hmm, that came off a bit windy, didn't it? 

As for Gassman, he was another of those fellows who was quite famous in his time and highly regarded. I think it's safe to say that he was early Classical, at least his later stuff is quite galant. I will be checking that disk out, I think, as I would like him to be more than a name to me. Thanks,

[Florestan]

Love in The Workplace??? The Critical Night??? 

This Gassmann guy sounds more like a 21-st century corporate executive than an 18-th century composer... 

I've only heard his oboe trio and it's quite allright if you like Mozart's one...

[SonicMan46]

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 

 

For those trying to obtain these works on PIs, the H. Mundi recording is w/ Richard Egarr on an original fortepiano (Salvatore Lagrass, c. 1815) and Andrew Manze on an 1834 French violin (Pierre Pacherele, Nice); contains the 3 Op. 137 works + Op. 162 for 78+ minutes of music - great review on Classics Today HERE - enjoying the disc now as I type away - 

[Gurn Blanston]

For those trying to obtain these works on PIs, the H. Mundi recording is w/ Richard Egarr on an original fortepiano (Salvatore Lagrass, c. 1815) and Andrew Manze on an 1834 French violin (Pierre Pacherele, Nice); contains the 3 Op. 137 works + Op. 162 for 78+ minutes of music - great review on Classics Today HERE - enjoying the disc now as I type away - 

Well, that was rather positive. I'm certainly not averse to adding this to my collection, although, as I say, it's the 2 works that are NOT on here that are my main interest.

FYI, Tverskaya plays an 1820 Graf fortepiano. It has a very nice tone. I'm still puzzled how this disk flew under my radar for so long. I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat if I had ever seen it anywhere.



----------------
Now playing:
La Pastorella - Corelli Op 6 #10 Concerto Grosso in C 5th mvmt - Allegro

[Antoine Marchand]

I'm still puzzled how this disk flew under my radar for so long. I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat if I had ever seen it anywhere.

I thought the same thing when some weeks ago I discovered a complete set of Mozart's piano sonatas played on period instruments that I had never seen before. It's a complete set recorded on Accent and also played by a Russian fortepianist named Temenuschka Vesselinova, who also recorded a better known set of Mozart's violin sonatas with Chiara Banchini (HM, period instruments, of course)... Unfortunately, that set (which I heard via NML) is totally OOP.   



BTW, some excellent pieces played by Vesselinova (on wonderful period instruments) can be listened to on You Tube. 

[Gurn Blanston]

I thought the same thing when some weeks ago I discovered a complete set of Mozart's piano sonatas played on period instruments that I had never seen before. It's a complete set recorded on Accent and also played by a Russian fortepianist named Temenuschka Vesselinova, who also recorded a better known set of Mozart's violin sonatas with Chiara Banchini (HM, period instruments, of course)... Unfortunately, that set (which I heard via NML) is totally OOP.   



BTW, some excellent pieces played by Vesselinova (on wonderful period instruments) can be listened to on You Tube. 

Well, those look nice. I've never seen them either. However, I have all 3 volumes by her and Banchini in the Mozart collection... They are really very good, as you would expect.





----------------
Now playing:
L'Arte dell Arco / Federico Guglielmo - 01 RV 269 Concerto in E for Violin & Wind Orchestra 1st mvmt - Allegro

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, back in early December, Antoine pointed out to me that a Smithson Quartet set that I had long wanted was now available on Amazon Marketplace. But out of England, not here in the US. And while I was looking at that, I also ran across the 3 disks by Karttunen and Hakkila that are the current PI standard for Beethoven's Cello and Fortepiano sonatas. They have been OOP for a long time, and now Warner has released them on the wonderful Apex label. Oh, they were in Europe too (seller says England but actually came out of Germany). I was a little dubious about Marketplace vendors in Europe where one couldn't drive to their shop and talk about it if they failed to deliver, but I figured WTF, let's give it a try. Well, that was on December 9......

Today, I got a glut in the mailbox!



Yes, there the rascals were. I got a forward from one of the sellers from the Royal Mail which said that US Homeland Security was inspecting every single package from Europe. Also the weather over there hadn't helped. So anyway, 6 weeks down the road, I have my disks. Good price on them, and AMP standard pricing for S & H ($2.98) applied, so I guess my patience was rewarded.





----------------
Now playing:
Les Plaisirs du Parnasse - Biber 'Fidicinium' Sonata #01 in b - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Grave - Adagio

[Antoine Marchand]

Apropos the Smithson String Quartet, I recently got from the German Amazon an excellent set of Haydn's string quartets (Op.9/4, Op. 17/3 and Op. 17/5), performed by the Smithsonians (Dorian-sono luminus). It recalled me an old favorite (almost my introduction to Haydn on period instruments), those string quartets from the Op. 20 played by the Esterhazy Quartet on SEON:



Both ensembles are leaded by Jaap Schröeder from the first violin. 

[Gurn Blanston]

Ah, very nice! And I have only heard of the Q. Esterhazy disk, it just doesn't come around for sale. So many lovely things on Seon, that was a great label! 



----------------
Now playing:
Les Plaisirs du Parnasse - Biber 'Fidicinium' Sonata #06 in a - [Allegro] - [Presto] - [Allegro] - Presto - Adagio - Allegro - [Adagio]

[Antoine Marchand]

Ah, very nice! And I have only heard of the Q. Esterhazy disk, it just doesn't come around for sale. So many lovely things on Seon, that was a great label!

Yes, it was a great label and Wolf Erichson -his owner and producer of every disc recorded there-, was a genius (well, Sony Vivarte is also a fine demonstration). Fortunately, I have got over the years a fair amount of their discs, I think around 20 or something so. 

[Gurn Blanston]

Yes, it was a great label and Wolf Erichson -his owner and producer of every disc recorded there-, was a genius (well, Sony Vivarte is also a fine demonstration). Fortunately, I have got over the years a fair amount of their discs, I think around 20 or something so. 

I'm surprised if I have an many as 3 or 4. One of my favorites though is a Mozart Violin concerto and concertante movements from orchestral serenades with Schröder und Brüggen. And another is a few violin sonatas by Sigiswald and Leonhardt. Very nice!



----------------
Now playing:
Les Plaisirs du Parnasse - Biber 'Fidicinium' Sonata #09 in G - [Allegro] - Adagio - Presto - Adagio

[Antoine Marchand]

I'm surprised if I have an many as 3 or 4. One of my favorites though is a Mozart Violin concerto and concertante movements from orchestral serenades with Schröder und Brüggen. And another is a few violin sonatas by Sigiswald and Leonhardt. Very nice!

Well, probably the explanation is that SEON didn't record too much Classical repertoire, but Baroque and Ancient Music in general. For instance, near a half of my SEON discs are dedicated to Bach: Musical Offering, French Suites, English Suites, Clavier-übung II, Brandenburgs, flute sonatas, organ works, etc. BTW, I also have that beautiful version of the Four Seasons with Leonhardt, the Kuijkens and other of their friends...   

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, probably the explanation is that SEON didn't record too much Classical repertoire, but Baroque and Ancient Music in general. For instance, near a half of my SEON discs are dedicated to Bach: Musical Offering, French Suites, English Suites, Clavier-übung II, Brandenburgs, flute sonatas, organ works, etc. BTW, I also have that beautiful version of the Four Seasons with Leonhardt, the Kuijkens and other of their friends... 

Yes, that would explain much. You know I'm no Bach-o-phile. He wrote a couple of nice things though...

Now Vivaldi; that's music!


----------------
Now playing:
London Festival Orchestra / Bengtson Björn Lundgren (Piano) - Grieg Op 46 Peer Gynt Suite #1 pt 3 - 'Anitras Tanz'

[Antoine Marchand]

Yes, that would explain much. You know I'm no Bach-o-phile. He wrote a couple of nice things though...

Now Vivaldi; that's music!

You know I am also a Vivaldi fan, so no word against him will come out from my mouth... After all, that's Scarpia's work... 

[Gurn Blanston]

You know I am also a Vivaldi fan, so no word against him will come out from my mouth... After all, that's Scarpia's work... 

Yes, each of us in our little community has a job to do...   Even Greg!



----------------
Now playing:
London Festival Orchestra / Bengtson  Björn Lundgren (Piano) - Grieg Op 16 Concerto in a for Piano 1st mvmt - Allegro molto moderato

[The new erato]

I think there's lots of Seon releases in this very fine box:

[SonicMan46]

.......I also ran across the 3 disks by Karttunen and Hakkila that are the current PI standard for Beethoven's Cello and Fortepiano sonatas. They have been OOP for a long time, and now Warner has released them on the wonderful Apex label....

 

Gurn - those Beethoven Piano & Cello Sonatas/Variations interest me; the only PI version that I own is added above, i.e. Lambert Orkis & David Hardy - a 4 disc set, split between performances on period instruments/practices & modern versions - great concept and a set that I do enjoy.  So, I was wondering if you have possibly heard the Orkis/Hardy PI performances?  And, if so, how might they compare to the ones you just received?

BTW, there is one disc at BRO on the Finlandia label (assume the original produces of this set?) for $4 - looks like the Vol. 1 above; Amazon MP also has Vol. 3 on the Apex label for $6 - so, for $10 I could pick up 2 of these CDs?

Finally, I'm curious if you have the Orkis set also - how could Orkis/Hardy get all of these works on 2 discs (states 'Complete'....) vs. 3 discs for the others?  Thanks - Dave 

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn - those Beethoven Piano & Cello Sonatas/Variations interest me; the only PI version that I own is added above, i.e. Lambert Orkis & David Hardy - a 4 disc set, split between performances on period instruments/practices & modern versions - great concept and a set that I do enjoy.  So, I was wondering if you have possibly heard the Orkis/Hardy PI performances?  And, if so, how might they compare to the ones you just received?

BTW, there is one disc at BRO on the Finlandia label (assume the original produces of this set?) for $4 - looks like the Vol. 1 above; Amazon MP also has Vol. 3 on the Apex label for $6 - so, for $10 I could pick up 2 of these CDs?

Finally, I'm curious if you have the Orkis set also - how could Orkis/Hardy get all of these works on 2 discs (states 'Complete'....) vs. 3 discs for the others?  Thanks - Dave 

So many questions, so little time! 

My guess on Lambert/Orkis is that they only do the sonatas, not the 3 sets of variations, that's how they get them on 2 disks. That's what Casals/Serkin does. Clearly I don't have that set to answer that question, but I do have other disks by those 2 and am well-pleased with them.

Yes, I got vol 1 from BRO, and vol 2 & 3 from the Amazon Marketplace. I think what you will see is that those Amazon vendors are in England and/or Germany. At least when I bought them, neither vol 2 or 3 was available in the USA, let alone at that price. Things change, of course, but experience has taught me that if I wait, then I will get nothing at all....

[SonicMan46]

Well, for those who may be curious about these LvB works on the Orkis set put on 2 discs each:

Sonatas Op. 5, Nos. 1/2; Sonata Op. 69, and Sonatas Op. 102, Nos. 1/2 - plus 12 Handel 'Judas M..' Variations, WoO 45, 12 Mozart 'Magic Flute' Variations, Op. 66, and 7 Mozart 'Magic Flute' Variations, WoO 46.

Not sure how all of this was put on the 2 CDs compared to the other 3-disc set - timings, repeats, and/or other works on the latter?

But may put in a BRO order and get that Vol. 1 on the Finlandia label; also, the Vol. 3 on the Amazon MP is available at MovieMars, which is in Charlotte, 90 miles from me!  That is interesting - Dave 

[FideLeo]

I think I have a different answer than Gurn's (Hi, Gurn!).  The reason that Karttunen and Hakkila required a third disc for their complete recording is because they decided to include Op. 17 and Op. 64, both arrangements of earlier works (horn sonata and a string trio).  As such many complete sets still manage to include three variation sets and five sonatas on two CD's.  (Wispelwey's more recent recording, for example.)