Gurn's Classical Corner

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn, could you be a doll and tell me if I can squeeze some post-classical, pre-romantic composers' recordings such as Hummel and Weber into your "personal" classical period thread? I love Hummel's works

My personal idea was to make an easy rule of thumb, which is that it would include people whose main body of work took place up to the time of Schubert's death. So Spohr also falls in there. Probably a few Frenchies like Grétry and certainly Mèhul. A host of others too.

[Gurn Blanston]

The Corner shall maintain its Sanctity at all costs.

J/K

We have a thread for transition period composers here. At first glance it appears to be a precursor to the Corner, but if Sonic Dave doesn't mind, we could probably rejuvenate and renovate that thread a little. (Although something in the back of my mind tells me that there was another thread on the same topic, but I'm unable to locate it at the moment.) Hummel has his own place as well.

If you're looking for some other composer, you can refer the Composer Index.

But if we are inclusive rather than exclusive, maybe someone can explain to us why music went to hell after Beethoven died....   

[DavidW]

My personal idea was to make an easy rule of thumb, which is that it would include people whose main body of work took place up to the time of Schubert's death. So Spohr also falls in there. Probably a few Frenchies like Grétry and certainly Mèhul. A host of others too.

I'm pretty sure that I've posted about Hummel, Spohr and Clementi on this thread anyway.

[Opus106]

But if we are inclusive rather than exclusive, maybe someone can explain to us why music went to hell after Beethoven Schubert died....   

Who cares? Let bygones be bygones and enjoy the little that we have left. 0:)

[Opus106]

Forget it! I asked in the name of courtesy but it's obviously too complex and ungodly. I can't even imagine arguing about them...

Oops! I apologise if I made it appear so -- that was not my intention.

[DavidW]

Navneeth the gate keeper.  YOU! SHALL! NOT! PASS!!!!!!

[SonicMan46]

We have a thread for transition period composers here. At first glance it appears to be a precursor to the Corner, but if Sonic Dave doesn't mind, we could probably rejuvenate and renovate that thread a little. (Although something in the back of my mind tells me that there was another thread on the same topic, but I'm unable to locate it at the moment.) Hummel has his own place as well.

If you're looking for some other composer, you can refer the Composer Index.

Hi Navneeth - boy, that thread on the 'transitional composers' is dated w/ the last post being over 4 yrs ago, not sure w/ Gurn's thread that there is much to be revived, BUT I did check about a half dozen links to the old forum which worked; SO for those interested in a LOT of good information of many of these composers, take a look and hit the links of those who may interest you.  Now concerning your Hummel link, I now have over a dozen discs of his music - will take a look @ that thread to see if I can add much.  Dave

[Sergeant Rock]

My personal idea was to make an easy rule of thumb, which is that it would include people whose main body of work took place up to the time of Schubert's death.

That would include Hummel then, since 113 of 127 works (with opus numbers) were published in 1828 or earlier.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

That would include Hummel then, since 113 of 127 works (with opus numbers) were published in 1828 or earlier.

Sarge

Certainly. Hummel lived in Mozart's house for 2 years while he took lessons. He actually played at one of Haydn's first concerts in London. He also became Kappelmeister at Eisenstadt after Haydn retired. I would say he was intricately bound up with the Classical style, despite the fact that the compositions of his second phase were far more based on Romantic ideals than classical ones. Talking about potpourris and the like. Can you imagine Mozart writing something called a potpourri? 

[SonicMan46]

Gurn, could you be a doll and tell me if I can squeeze some post-classical, pre-romantic composers' recordings such as Hummel and Weber into your "personal" classical period thread? I love Hummel's works

Hi Annie - just brought the Hummel thread (linked by Opus106) to the top - listed my current Hummel discs and looking for a few more - please add your suggestions there if so inclined - Dave

[Florestan]

Certainly. Hummel lived in Mozart's house for 2 years while he took lessons. He actually played at one of Haydn's first concerts in London. He also became Kappelmeister at Eisenstadt after Haydn retired. I would say he was intricately bound up with the Classical style, despite the fact that the compositions of his second phase were far more based on Romantic ideals than classical ones. Talking about potpourris and the like. Can you imagine Mozart writing something called a potpourri? 

FWIW, Wikipedia lists only 2 potpourris (opp. 53 & 94) in a list of 127 items. He wasn't quite a potpourrier, one can infer...   

[Florestan]

Potpourri for Guitar & Piano Op.53
Potpourri No 1 La Peau d'ane Op.58
Potpourri No 2 La Peau d'ane Op.59
Potpourri for Viola & Orchestra Op.94

Okay, two more. 4 out of 127 is still far from a habit... 

[Florestan]

The others that come to my mind are:
47 Potpourri in C for piano solo (including motives from Der Freischutz)
79 Potpourri National for guitar & piano(composed jointly with Mauro Giuliani)
95 Potpourri for cello
but it's still in small numbers, right?

Yes, small. What I mean is that those damned potpourris are in no way his most representative works, nor a trend in his late period, nor did he compose them by the scores.

Gurn asked: can someone imagine Mozart composing potpourris? If by potpourri it is meant some sort of a musical trifle then Mozart has tons of them and is far ahead Hummel in this respect. 

...and if you are talking about Johann Nepomuk Hummel, I don't know what that 127 is but the last time I've counted his output was over 320, not including 70+ arrangements(including Beethoven's first 7 symphonies, many Mozart symphonies and piano concertos) and 10+ doubtful works...

http://web.archive.org/web/20080530163015/http://www.geocities.com/mbfleur/Works_Catalog_of_Hummel.pdf

Apparently his opus-numbered works amount to 127.

[SonicMan46]

BOY - no activity since August - now there have been some posts in the 'Listening Thread' regarding recordings by the composer described briefly below - thought that a little more discussion would be appropriate here (may have done this before - did not search):

Wolfl, Joseph (1773-1812) - born in Salzburg and studied w/ Leopold Mozart & Michael Haydn.  He was tall (over 6') and had an enormous finger span - moved to Vienna in 1790 and competed and was bested by Beethoven on the keyboard; moved to Paris and then London, where he died at an early age.  His thematic catalog by musicologist Margit Haider-Dechant (in German, 2011) - a total of 618 works were identified and classified, including 7 Symphonies, 22 String Quartets, 10 Piano Concertos, 29 Piano Trios, 32 Violin Sonatas, 16 Flute Sonatas, and well over 200 Solo Piano works (sources from Wiki & HERE).

Today, there were posts in the 'Listening Thread' on Symphonies (Sarge) & String Quartets (San Antone) - obviously, there are potentially numerous recording possibilities for this prolific composer w/ the summary of his catalog outlined briefly above.  For myself, I own 5 discs shown below - Piano Concertos just 3 of 10; String Quartets are Op. 4 (No. 1-3); Piano Sonatas just beginning!; and the CDs w/ Laure Colladant are on fortepiano - I have 2 discs, i.e. Vols. 2 & 3 (the latter are Duos w/ keyboard & harp).

BUT, I'm interested in obtaining some more - SO, what do you own, comments, & recommendations?  Dave

 

 

[milk]

I often look at my CPE collection and think, "I have too much of this guy." Certainly, I thought, two albums of violin/continuo music is enough (Cummings/Butterfield, Beyer/Stern). But, something (namely a glowing review at musicweb) made me buy this and I'm not sorry. I'm on a bit of a tangent piano kick lately (having got Schoonderwoerd's wonderful new complete Mozart sonata set). This music is really wonderful on the tangent and these are interesting and enjoyable performances. I think I have too much CPE until I put him on and then I think I need more. 
[asin]B00C0YN2Z4[/asin]

[Brian]

I often look at my CPE collection and think, "I have too much of this guy." Certainly, I thought, two albums of violin/continuo music is enough (Cummings/Butterfield, Beyer/Stern). But, something (namely a glowing review at musicweb) made me buy this and I'm not sorry. I'm on a bit of a tangent piano kick lately (having got Schoonderwoerd's wonderful new complete Mozart sonata set). This music is really wonderful on the tangent and these are interesting and enjoyable performances. I think I have too much CPE until I put him on and then I think I need more. 

Boy the CPE Bach revival in recent years has been great, and I don't tired of it. I'm listening to this one this week:

[asin]B00AP5M4JA[/asin]

Two quick symphonies, 11 minutes each, an oboe concerto and a harpsichord concerto. The oboe concerto's got a wonderful expressive minor-key slow movement, 9 minutes long. The E minor symphony strikes like a lightning bolt and the first two movements seem by harmonic illusion to run continuously. I feel the way you do about CPE, milk: more and more CDs keep coming in, but they all keep being so darn good.

[milk]

Boy the CPE Bach revival in recent years has been great, and I don't tired of it. I'm listening to this one this week:


Two quick symphonies, 11 minutes each, an oboe concerto and a harpsichord concerto. The oboe concerto's got a wonderful expressive minor-key slow movement, 9 minutes long. The E minor symphony strikes like a lightning bolt and the first two movements seem by harmonic illusion to run continuously. I feel the way you do about CPE, milk: more and more CDs keep coming in, but they all keep being so darn good.

I thought I'd read somewhere that the Spanyi concerto cycle is coming to an end with one more release but I've been wrong about these things in the past so I hesitate to declare it. It's interesting to compare the last two Spanyi releases with the award winning Staier/Freiburger release containing the same material (six concertos). They are so very different. Spanyi/Armonico is rather grand whereas Freiburger is typically angular and spry. I think Staier/Freiburger come out the winner but the last Spanyi also contains a wonderful performance (well, the only one I know) of H477 - with a fortepiano. Anyway, the Spanyi series is generally awesome! Another recording I like is the Ghielmi brothers doing the Gamba sonatas. I must admit I got a bit lost with the keyboard solo series: now there I genuinely wonder if I really need it all. With the concertos, I can't get enough and the three violin sonata recordings I have are all worth having.     

[milk]

Now I'm going to contradict myself. This one is calling me...

[Gurn Blanston]

Now I'm going to contradict myself. This one is calling me...

Me too... what a nice looking collection.

[SonicMan46]

Now I'm going to contradict myself. This one is calling me...

Agree w/ Gurn - this looks quite interesting - don't see the collection on Amazon USA yet, but about $15 @ MDT - need to check my collection of CPE to see what I own, but fortepiano & clavichord excites me - looking forward to some comments & reviews - Dave