Gurn's Classical Corner

[Gurn Blanston]

Tangentially, I learn today that Peter Bergman had a dog named Nurgi — an anagram for I, Gurn.

Coincidence? Ask Rob Newman . . . .

It's no coincidence.  0:)

[chasmaniac]

Whoa, hang on... The Gurnatron has been deactivated? I can't keep up with this. Next I'll be told that Pluto isn't a planet!

[Gurn Blanston]

Whoa, hang on... The Gurnatron has been deactivated? I can't keep up with this. Next I'll be told that Pluto isn't a planet!

Well, now that we aren't part of the Attack of the Spambots, I went back to my real name. Gurnatron5500^TM was coined by some shameless flatterers and served a useful purpose for a while.

[Leo K.]

I have returned to this recording for a third time, since getting it about a month ago. I must say, upon hearing it on my drive to my first job, at 3:30 in the morning, was quite a powerful experience. Very uplifting to my tired soul!

A feature of this requiem I love is the key it's written in, C Major. I love how festive it is, despite the purpose to honor the dead Augustus II.

This review from Amazon, which I respectively quote, is a good introduction:

Review By Giordano Bruno

Augustus II "the Strong" was quite a dude. Prince Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, he gets most of the credit for building Dresden into the architectural and musical capital it was in the 18th Century. His sobriquet was given him not only for his ability to bend and snap horseshoes in his bare hands but also for his polyphiloprogenitivity. (I've stored that word up for years, waiting for this moment.) He did gallop his realm into crisis, it must be confessed, but it was a wild ride. He also ate himself into diabetes and got enormously fat before his sudden death in 1763. There's an ample biography of him on wikipedia, worth a look.

The funeral of Augustus II was the specific occasion for the composition of the Requiem in C major by Johan Adolf Hasse (1699-1783). The Elector's patronage had made Hasse perhaps the most successful and widely known composer of the 18th Century. Hasse paid his royal friend back with a triumphant musical farewell. Just the choice of C major as the key tells a lot; this is not a requiem of grief and penitence. Instead it's a festive procession through the open gates of heaven, richly caparisoned with joy and pomp. Gus the Strong would have loved it. It's also a superb oratorio/cantata, evidence that Hasse's huge success was fully deserved. The forces required are large: full strings and chorus plus pairs of flutes, horns, oboes, trumpets, bassoons, organ, and tympani, with four vocal soloists. The music comprises 21 movements, with maximum variety and color. It was an immense success, as proven by the number of copies that have survived in libraries across[/b] Europe. Gus was buried in Poland, by the way, where his memory is still execrated, but his heart was buried in Dresden.

Also performed on this CD is Hasse's Miserere in E minor, a piece that sounds at times quite a lot like Mozart's Requiem. It's heart-felt, dolorous, and penitential, but wends gracefully toward consolation. Check the dates on Hasse's works and you'll be surprised to find that he was writing "Sturm und Drang" romanticism while Haydn and Mozart were toying with divertimenti. Hasse was enormously productive - there must have been productivity juices in the water supplies of 18th C Europe - and he lived to the age of 84. His music is still not performed as often or as widely as it deserves, and his dozens of operas, I predict, will be the next "discovery" in European theaters.

This performance by the Belgian ensemble Il Fondamento brims with energy and insight. A well-trained period musician might notice a few technical blemishes but would pay them no regard in the presence of such vivid musicality. Especially wonderful are the many duet passages for soprano and alto, sung with luscious harmony by Greta De Reyghere and Susanna Moncayo von Hase. Conductor Paul Dombrecht achieves brilliance also by knitting together the multifarious recitativos, arias, and choruses into a work of monumental unity. The case has been made, music lovers, with this recording and other CDs by 'Il Seminario Musicale' that Johann Adolf Hasse was, and is, a composer of the highest rank.

[Gurn Blanston]

Now, for some music. Anyone run across this series yet?:



I have the first 4 disks, although now I understand that there is also a 5th one. The playing by Czech Chamber Philharmonic \ Spurny is very fine, as you would expect they seem to have a solid connection to the music from their homeland. The composers are numerous, all Bohemians, of course, and the music is either a sinfonia or a concerto ranging in time from <>1760 to <>1780. I like 'em! 

Well, Lo and Behold! There IS a volume 5:



Very nice. New conductor, same orchestra, same nice variety of music from early Classical Bohemia.



----------------
Now playing:
Vienna Philharmonia Trio - Hob 05:10 Divertimento á tre in F for 2 Violins & Bass 3rd mvmt - Moderato

[DavidRoss]

Well, now that we aren't part of the Attack of the Spambots, I went back to my real name. Gurnatron5500^TM was coined by some shameless flatterers and served a useful purpose for a while.

It's over?  Safe to come out now?

[Gurn Blanston]

It's over?  Safe to come out now?

AFAIK, David. I haven't personally been attacked (well, not by spambots anyway  ), and I haven't heard of anyone being done. I'll risk it. With my 17 letter password, let 'em try!   



----------------
Now playing:
Vienna Philharmonia Trio - Hob 05 12 Divertimento á tre in E for 2 Violins & Bass 1st mvmt - Adagio cantabile

[SonicMan46]

I have returned to this recording for a third time, since getting it about a month ago. I must say, upon hearing it on my drive to my first job, at 3:30 in the morning, was quite a powerful experience. Very uplifting to my tired soul!

A feature of this requiem I love is the key it's written in, C Major. I love how festive it is, despite the purpose to honor the dead Augustus II.

Review By Giordano Bruno....... see above!

Leo - thanks for the Hasse listing - will add to my 'wish list' - I have several of this composer's CDs (both instrumental music which I enjoy) - plus I always enjoy reading Bruno's reviews on Amazon - he is usually an enjoyable read w/ well thought out comments - often others seem to not agree (and I've had a few 'benign' exchanges w/ him) - but his comments will influence me toward a purchase - Dave 

[mc ukrneal]

Well, now that we aren't part of the Attack of the Spambots, I went back to my real name. Gurnatron5500^TM was coined by some shameless flatterers and served a useful purpose for a while.

I know it's off topic, but gurnatron was quite possibly the best screen name for this forum. I would love to add the -atron to ukrneal, but it sounds really stupid. Ukrnealatron? Ukrtron? Nealatron? Bah - and you are giving it up! I would encourage you to keep the name (and may I add it is a more secure name than the other).

[Gurn Blanston]

I have returned to this recording for a third time, since getting it about a month ago. I must say, upon hearing it on my drive to my first job, at 3:30 in the morning, was quite a powerful experience. Very uplifting to my tired soul!

A feature of this requiem I love is the key it's written in, C Major. I love how festive it is, despite the purpose to honor the dead Augustus II.

This review from Amazon, which I respectively quote, is a good introduction:

Review By Giordano Bruno

Augustus II "the Strong" was quite a dude. Prince Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, he gets most of the credit for building Dresden into the architectural and musical capital it was in the 18th Century. His sobriquet was given him not only for his ability to bend and snap horseshoes in his bare hands but also for his polyphiloprogenitivity. (I've stored that word up for years, waiting for this moment.) He did gallop his realm into crisis, it must be confessed, but it was a wild ride. He also ate himself into diabetes and got enormously fat before his sudden death in 1763. There's an ample biography of him on wikipedia, worth a look.

The funeral of Augustus II was the specific occasion for the composition of the Requiem in C major by Johan Adolf Hasse (1699-1783). The Elector's patronage had made Hasse perhaps the most successful and widely known composer of the 18th Century. Hasse paid his royal friend back with a triumphant musical farewell. Just the choice of C major as the key tells a lot; this is not a requiem of grief and penitence. Instead it's a festive procession through the open gates of heaven, richly caparisoned with joy and pomp. Gus the Strong would have loved it. It's also a superb oratorio/cantata, evidence that Hasse's huge success was fully deserved. The forces required are large: full strings and chorus plus pairs of flutes, horns, oboes, trumpets, bassoons, organ, and tympani, with four vocal soloists. The music comprises 21 movements, with maximum variety and color. It was an immense success, as proven by the number of copies that have survived in libraries across[/b] Europe. Gus was buried in Poland, by the way, where his memory is still execrated, but his heart was buried in Dresden.

Also performed on this CD is Hasse's Miserere in E minor, a piece that sounds at times quite a lot like Mozart's Requiem. It's heart-felt, dolorous, and penitential, but wends gracefully toward consolation. Check the dates on Hasse's works and you'll be surprised to find that he was writing "Sturm und Drang" romanticism while Haydn and Mozart were toying with divertimenti. Hasse was enormously productive - there must have been productivity juices in the water supplies of 18th C Europe - and he lived to the age of 84. His music is still not performed as often or as widely as it deserves, and his dozens of operas, I predict, will be the next "discovery" in European theaters.

This performance by the Belgian ensemble Il Fondamento brims with energy and insight. A well-trained period musician might notice a few technical blemishes but would pay them no regard in the presence of such vivid musicality. Especially wonderful are the many duet passages for soprano and alto, sung with luscious harmony by Greta De Reyghere and Susanna Moncayo von Hase. Conductor Paul Dombrecht achieves brilliance also by knitting together the multifarious recitativos, arias, and choruses into a work of monumental unity. The case has been made, music lovers, with this recording and other CDs by 'Il Seminario Musicale' that Johann Adolf Hasse was, and is, a composer of the highest rank.

Leo,
I have only a little Hasse. The writing on him is quite ambivalent in some regards, but very flattering in others. Of course, his forte was writing Italian opera that would suit North German tastes, and that in itself points to his talent.    But for purely instrumental music, he was not a model of inspiration. I need to go back through my music and see exactly what I do have of his. Thanks for the impetus to do that.

I know it's off topic, but gurnatron was quite possibly the best screen name for this forum. I would love to add the -atron to ukrneal, but it sounds really stupid. Ukrnealatron? Ukrtron? Nealatron? Bah - and you are giving it up! I would encourage you to keep the name (and may I add it is a more secure name than the other).

OK, you've convinced me.   It does roll rather trippingly off the tongue, I agree!   0:)

[karlhenning]

I can haz Hasse?

And what's this? The Gurnatron is back?

[Gurn Blanston]

I can haz Hasse?

And what's this? The Gurnatron is back?

In many ways, Hasse is a model of perfection. The 'marriage' of Hasse's music to Metastasio's libretti is a success story of 1750.

D minor would be so proud, were he but here today. Back before he totally lost his mind, he was able to focus it on useful things, like giving people new names. Sadly lost now, his memory lives on in Gurnatron5500...

[Antoine Marchand]

OK, you've convinced me.   It does roll rather trippingly off the tongue, I agree!   0:)

We need a poll here. 

[mc ukrneal]

OK, you've convinced me.   It does roll rather trippingly off the tongue, I agree!   0:)

Yippee!! Must celebrate!   

[Opus106]

D minor would be so proud, were he but here today. Back before he totally lost his mind, he was able to focus it on useful things, like giving people new names. Sadly lost now, his memory lives on in Gurnatron5500...

Not here today as in, not a member any longer or... ?

[DavidRoss]

Not here today as in, not a member any longer or... ?

See http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,3519.0.html

[Opus106]

See http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,3519.0.html

Gotcha! I was aware the he started the -- what I like to call -- the "weekend" thread, but I found Gurn's wording a bit ambiguous.

[Gurn Blanston]

Gotcha! I was aware the he started the -- what I like to call -- the "weekend" thread, but I found Gurn's wording a bit ambiguous.

Back in the day, d minor was a big participant in music discussions. In the last 3 years, I was not aware of any music listening for him, economic conditions totally filled him up. Without that link, I didn't even know his user name any more...

[mahler10th]

This morning I was listening to Haydn 104 and something else by Thomas Fey and the Hiedelberger Symphony Orchestra.  I was struck by the touch Fey has. He has an incisive and even brazen understanding of the music, and instead of pretty much trumping through it ala Bernstein, he went to some depths to expose things in the parts, rather like he was conducting something from the late Romantic period.  I thought this was a fascinating approach, seemingly dismissing the formulaic Classical tradition of the musics structure in favour of adding what can only be described as considerable 'gravitas'.
Excellent stuff.

[Gurn Blanston]

This morning I was listening to Haydn 104 and something else by Thomas Fey and the Hiedelberger Symphony Orchestra.  I was struck by the touch Fey has. He has an incisive and even brazen understanding of the music, and instead of pretty much trumping through it ala Bernstein, he went to some depths to expose things in the parts, rather like he was conducting something from the late Romantic period.  I thought this was a fascinating approach, seemingly dismissing the formulaic Classical tradition of the musics structure in favour of adding what can only be described as considerable 'gravitas'.
Excellent stuff.

Fey seems to be a fairly controversial character, at least as far as I've seen here over the years. I have the first 6 disks of his Haydn series (and a couple of his Beethoven, too), and find them to be very entertainingly put together. I suppose it almost seems petty to whinge about missing the tone color of period instruments, but really, that is my only complaint, and a minor one at that.