Gurn's Classical Corner

[Gurn Blanston]

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.)

Hi, Masolino. Nice to see you back. And you're right, it is the inclusion of those rarely recorded pieces that pushed the envelope spacewise. I'm looking forward to listening to the next 2 volumes since I have heard so many positive things about them. Actually, the Op 17 & 64 are the only versions that I have on PI, I also have 1 version of each on modern instruments.

[mahler10th]

VORISEK
Ulster Orchestra, Kenneth Montgomery
SYMPHONY IN D MAJOR

I have listened a couple of times to this, and there's something in it that looks forward to Beethoven.   In some passages it sounds, even now, thoroughly modern, and I am inclined to explore this composer further - a first personal discovery from the Classical era for me!  His sounds are quite challenging for his era.
Anyone familiar with Vorisek, and what do you recommend?

[Gurn Blanston]

Hi, John,
I haven't heard any of Vorisek's orchestral music, I see a Mackerras disk there that I might pursue though. You might find this piano disk nice though if you like solo piano:

[asin]B0014Z3OIA[/asin]

Vorisek is one of those composers who was unfortunate to live in the time of Beethoven, thus got overlooked. In modern times, he lived in the time of Beethoven, so he still gets overlooked. Undeservedly so, IMO. 



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Now playing:
London Festival Orchestra / Bengtson Björn Lundgren (Piano) - Grieg Op 16 Concerto in a for Piano 2nd mvmt - Adagio

[mahler10th]

Hi, John,
I haven't heard any of Vorisek's orchestral music, I see a Mackerras disk there that I might pursue though. You might find this piano disk nice though if you like solo piano:
[asin]B0014Z3OIA[/asin]
Vorisek is one of those composers who was unfortunate to live in the time of Beethoven, thus got overlooked. In modern times, he lived in the time of Beethoven, so he still gets overlooked. Undeservedly so, IMO. 

Thank you for that Gurn.  His piano works are extremely imaginative, like his orchestral works.  It certainly is undeserved that he is looked over and died young.  It sounds to me that in terms of music, he would have eventually been and equal to Beethoven.   

And anyway, what is wrong with me that the music I am most attracted to was written by a tragic young figure.  First (and still) Hans Rott, now this chap Vorisek! 

[mc ukrneal]

Thank you for that Gurn.  His piano works are extremely imaginative, like his orchestral works.  It certainly is undeserved that he is looked over and died young.  It sounds to me that in terms of music, he would have eventually been and equal to Beethoven.   

And anyway, what is wrong with me that the music I am most attracted to was written by a tragic young figure.  First (and still) Hans Rott, now this chap Vorisek! 

Then I guess we shouldn't mention that poor chap Arriaga....

[Gurn Blanston]

Thank you for that Gurn.  His piano works are extremely imaginative, like his orchestral works.  It certainly is undeserved that he is looked over and died young.  It sounds to me that in terms of music, he would have eventually been and equal to Beethoven.   

And anyway, what is wrong with me that the music I am most attracted to was written by a tragic young figure.  First (and still) Hans Rott, now this chap Vorisek! 

Mere tragic coincidence, I think. Well, if you wanted to pile it on, you would get that Mackerras / SCO disk. He couples Vorisek's D major symphony with another D major symphony (and a brilliant one) from the same time period, by Juan Arriaga, who went on to die at 20 (January 27, 1806 – January 17, 1826). They made Mozart and Schubert look positively greybearded!

[Gurn Blanston]

Then I guess we shouldn't mention that poor chap Arriaga....

Whoops, my bad...

[karlhenning]

I had an arriago bagel once, very nice . . . .

[Gabriel]

Hi, John,
I haven't heard any of Vorisek's orchestral music, I see a Mackerras disk there that I might pursue though. You might find this piano disk nice though if you like solo piano:

Vorisek is one of those composers who was unfortunate to live in the time of Beethoven, thus got overlooked. In modern times, he lived in the time of Beethoven, so he still gets overlooked. Undeservedly so, IMO. 



----------------
Now playing:
London Festival Orchestra / Bengtson Björn Lundgren (Piano) - Grieg Op 16 Concerto in a for Piano 2nd mvmt - Adagio

There is a 3-CD set that contains the complete piano works by Vorísek, in Supraphon, also by Kvapil. I ignore if the 1-CD set contains excerpts of the other, or if it is plainly another recording.

[DavidRoss]

I have nothing to add, but just wanted to pop in and say, "Howdy!"

So far, excepting only a brief excursion into snippets of Bach, it's been an all Beethoven day for me.  Who knows, I might even get around to the 9th Symphony!

[Gurn Blanston]

I have nothing to add, but just wanted to pop in and say, "Howdy!"

So far, excepting only a brief excursion into snippets of Bach, it's been an all Beethoven day for me.  Who knows, I might even get around to the 9th Symphony!

Back at'cha, David.

Been all Beethoven for me today too, starting off with Ansermet and the Orchestre Suisse-Romande in a very nice interpretation of the 9th from 1958. And then following up with the complete works for Cello & Fortepiano which is still playing now. This is a very nice cycle, great color from the instruments. Up next though, some Chopin on an 1836 Pleyel pianoforte, look forward to that.





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Now playing:
A. Karttunen (Cello) & Tuija Hakkila (Fortepiano) - Bia 599 #2 Op 102 #2 Sonata in D for Cello & Fortepiano 2nd mvmt - Adagio con molto sentimento d'affeto - attacca -

[Leon]

Discovered this on NML:

[asin]B004H4OH7W[/asin]

Listening to Flute Trio No. 16 in D major, Hob.XV:16 (period instruments)

Richard Fuller
Annie Laflamme
Dorothea Schonwiese-Guschlbauer

From All Music Guide:

Composed in 1789 or 1790 for the London publisher John Bland, they are more genuinely trios than most of the so-called piano trios, where the keyboard is dominant. The flute for the most part has an equal role to the piano in these trios, and the opening sonata-form movements are substantial essays with excursions into remote chromatic territory. Even the concluding Flute Trio No. 30 in F major, Hob. 15/17, which seems to follow an earlier pattern with its two-movement configuration and minuet finale offers in that finale a rather thorny minuet-sonata form hybrid.

Hmm, don't know why the "asin" is not coming up - but the link is active.

[Gurn Blanston]

Hey, Leon.

First, the asin isn't working because the picture is not the property of Amazon, it is a customer supplied picture. So the asin doesn't work. No big deal.

As to the music, I am really keen on those trios. I think the finales are some of Haydn's niftiest, and vastly entertaining. I have this version:

[asin]B00011MK5Q[/asin]

which is very nicely played, and the version by the van Sweiten trio in their complete fortepiano trios box too. This one you posted looks interesting, I wonder if the CD will be available one day...

[Leon]

Ah, thanks for explaining the "asin" glitch.  I have that Van Sweiten set and will seek out these works, since as you say - they are nifty.  That CPO disc looks mighty fine, as well.

Don't know where NML gets their tracks, I assumed they were from CDs, but Amazon only has the MP3 for this one - a small mystery.

Some info on the instruments in the recording I mentioned above:

Transverse Flute: Martin Wenner, Singen, 2009, after Karl August Grenser, Dresden ca. 1770

Violoncello: attributed to Georg Klotz, ca. 1725

Fortepiano: Werner Keil, Schriesheim, 1985, after Johann Andreas Stein, Augsburg, 1788
Tuning: a'= 421 Hz

One nice thing on NML is the inclusion of a PDF of the complete booklet - which leads me to think there must be a CD available for this recording.

[Gurn Blanston]

Ah, thanks for explaining the "asin" glitch.  I have that Van Sweiten set and will seek out these works, since as you say - they are nifty.  That CPO disc looks mighty fine, as well.

Don't know where NML gets their tracks, I assumed they were from CDs, but Amazon only has the MP3 for this one - a small mystery.

Some info on the instruments in the recording I mentioned above:

Transverse Flute: Martin Wenner, Singen, 2009, after Karl August Grenser, Dresden ca. 1770

Violoncello: attributed to Georg Klotz, ca. 1725

Fortepiano: Werner Keil, Schriesheim, 1985, after Johann Andreas Stein, Augsburg, 1788
Tuning: a'= 421 Hz

One nice thing on NML is the inclusion of a PDF of the complete booklet - which leads me to think there must be a CD available for this recording.

That all looks interesting! I like the sound of a Stein fortepiano too. If that disk ever comes available, I shall snap it up. There are at least 2 reasons that Amazon has the MP3 and not the disk: it hasn't been released in America yet (and may not be), or it is actually out of print by now and MP3's are all you will ever see. I suppose there are others, but those are the only 2 I've run across so far. I've got friends in Europe though...   0:)

[DavidRoss]

I love the London Trios--the only recording I have is Stern, Rampal, Slava:
[asin]B0000025PQ[/asin]

I trust Camerata Köln is a period instrument HIP combo?

[Gurn Blanston]

I love the London Trios--the only recording I have is Stern, Rampal, Slava:
[asin]B0000025PQ[/asin]

I trust Camerata Köln is a period instrument HIP combo?

Yes, they are a first rate group of players too, PI or not! Now, the set that you have (which I do have also) is excellent too, but it's a different group of pieces. There are 2 different sets of so-called "London Trios", one of them being Hob IV:1-4 which is for flute, cello & violin (actually, 2 flutes & cello, but frequently played with 1 flute and fiddle). The other set is 3 piano trios, Hob XVI:15-17, which are for flute, cello & fortepiano. All of them were written for London publication (John Bland). If you get that Camerata Köln disk, you get all of them!

[SonicMan46]

Emanuel Aloys Förster (1748-1823) - String Quintets w/ Les Adieux - I was listening to these works yesterday (a 2-CD set still available from BRO, I believe) and felt these were excellent compositions and well performed; so checking back in the forum, there was some brief discussion back in April of 2009 (Gurn, Gabriel, & myself) (one post quoted at the bottom).

So, I was curious about the composer, but little is available - a short Wiki article HERE shows him in Vienna as a composer & teacher, married well, and was friends of Mozart & Haydn (and I assume many other composers of the era & place) - he was probably a pretty famous guy back then!  However, very little seems available on Amazon - did he write much?  Well, not easily found - but on the French Wiki site HERE, his works are listed - he was quite prolific and apparently one of the pioneers in writing piano chamber works - summary below:

Concertos for various instruments - 4
String Quartets - 48 (including Op. 7, 16, & 21; plus, many w/o opus numbers)
String Quintets - 13 (including Op. 19, 20, & 26)
Piano Chamber Works - 28 (from sonatas, trios, and up to an octet)
Piano Solo Works - many (check the link, if interested)
Other Miscellaneous Works - 

Boy, judging by the set of String Quintets that I own, this composer was indeed good!  Has anyone discovered other recordings? 


 

Gurn & Gabriel - just put in an order for that Field box of the orchestral piano works; listened to the single CD that I pictured previously the other night, and enjoyed the playing, the orchestra, and the sound (and @ a great price)!

Was also interested in the comments on Emanuel Aloys Förster (1748-1823) - thought that I had one disc of this composer's music, but no (checked my database and the composer I own is Josef Foerster!) - however, my first check was at BRO, and to my surprise, they did have the 2-CD set of Förster's Quintets for $14 - so put in an order, and hope to enjoy on their arrival!  Dave 

[Gurn Blanston]

Dave,
No, no other recordings, but I certainly enjoy that one. I thought that Fantasie was interesting, usually Fantasies are rather short works, but that one's a monster!   I would wish for a disk of piano trios, they are a generally definitive genre for displaying a composer's talents.

[PaulSC]

First, the asin isn't working because the picture is not the property of Amazon, it is a customer supplied picture. So the asin doesn't work.

Actually in this case it's not a customer image. It's the official product image, but the product format is a digital download (mp3s). The GMG asin function only works for CDs, not downloads. (Actually, I wonder if the GMG asin function can be extended to handle the mp3 case. I'll make a request to this effect in the suggestions thread -- no harm in asking!)