Gurn's Classical Corner

[SonicMan46]

I´ve started to listen to all of Mozart´s violin sonatas in chronological order, from this set:



I am simply amazed at the high quality of the childhood sonatas. The relentless rythmic drive of the introductory allegros, the brooding, melancholy adagios and the bitter-sweet minuets/trios --- it boggles the mind that a child of 6 or 8 or 10 could have written such gorgeous music.

Needless to say, the musicmaking of Podger and Cooper is just perfectly suitable for these works. This is a desert island box.

Hi Andrei - a recent acquisition for me also and have listened to the box several times now - have to completely agree w/ your comments - I own a number of recordings of the 'mature' works but those lower Köchel numbers are just as enjoyable! Dave

[Florestan]

Cross-post from the WAYLT thread.



This is probably the best complete set of Mozart´s music for violin and orchestra ever recorded --- to these ears at least. Its only competition (admittedly a fierce one) is from Henryk Szeryng, which definitely has the advantage of including the Sinfonia Concertante, the Concertone and the Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra, but in terms of musicianship and musicmaking Leertouwer and his band are superb. They play HIP but not HIP-ish and the result is absolutely fantastic. Recorded in SOTA sound, this is a peach of a winner. I can´t praise and recommend it highly enough.

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, I'll have a go at it. Should be here Monday, my first new CD in over 2 months, so you have a lot of responsibility going here, Florestan....

[Florestan]

Well, I'll have a go at it. Should be here Monday, my first new CD in over 2 months, so you have a lot of responsibility going here, Florestan....

It´s Mozart, it´s HIP and it´s great --- should be right up your alley.  0:)

Do report, please.

[Gurn Blanston]

It´s Mozart, it´s HIP and it´s great --- should be right up your alley.  0:)

Do report, please.

Actually, I know of Leertouwer, I have him playing some Schubert with a very good fortepianist named Julian Reynolds. It was the chance to hear him in orchestral music which intrigued me. He really has a great sound! 

[SonicMan46]

Cross-post from the WAYLT thread.



This is probably the best complete set of Mozart´s music for violin and orchestra ever recorded --- to these ears at least. Its only competition (admittedly a fierce one) is from Henryk Szeryng, which definitely has the advantage of including the Sinfonia Concertante, the Concertone and the Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra, but in terms of musicianship and musicmaking Leertouwer and his band are superb. They play HIP but not HIP-ish and the result is absolutely fantastic. Recorded in SOTA sound, this is a peach of a winner. I can´t praise and recommend it highly enough.

Hi Andrei - thanks for the recommendation, just put in an Amazon Prime order (and had some bonus money to reduce the price in half) for the Leertouwer discs - like Gurn should be at my doorstep on Monday!  Also, found a 3-CD 'used' set of the Henryk Szeryng Mozart concerto recordings (have him in the Mozart sonatas).

At the moment, I have 3 sets of Wolfie's violin concertos (Julia Fischer & Yakov Kreizberg, 2005-07; 3 CDs + 1 DVD; Giuliano Carmignola & Claudio Abbado, 2007, and Arthur Grumiaux w/ Davis & Leppard, 1960s) - like the Fischer (despite some negative reviews here & there) - also like Carmignola; the sound on some of the Grumiaux recordings from that era distract from my enjoyment, so likely will cull him out.  Dave

[Florestan]

Mozart, WA - Violin Concertos w/ Johannes Leertouwer and his PI group, La Borea Amsterdam - he performs on a 1691 Amati violin w/ gut strings; thick booklet w/ beginning notes by him, and then more extended discussion on the works by Clemens Kemme - excellent recorded sound (performances from 2005/6) - recommended by Andrei, I believe in Gurn's classical thread.  Dave

 

How do you like it, Dave? I hope you won´t ask me for a refund. 

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I still haven't heard any recording which I prefer over Australian Chamber Orchestra's Mozart VC recordings on BIS.

[SonicMan46]

How do you like it, Dave? I hope you won´t ask me for a refund. 

Hi Andrei - really enjoy the PI set and like Leertouwer's fiddle - thanks for the recommendation!  Dave

[Gurn Blanston]

How do you like it, Dave? I hope you won´t ask me for a refund. 

Just listening to Disk 2 for the first time (holding disk 1 in abeyance for now), must say, the tone of his instrument is wonderful! He tosses off #4 & 5 with ease, using a tastefully ornamented style, just what you would like to hear in these works. I like the accompaniment by La Borea, too. They articulate well, not running things together, which is as it should be with works from the early 1770's, when legato was an ornament instead of a lifestyle.

[El Chupacabra]

...when legato was an ornament instead of a lifestyle.

The problem lies within the late 19th-early 20th century of Mozart editions. Saint-Saens's words from his Mozart edition:
"One is accustomed to modern editions that indicate constantly legato, molto legato and sempre legato. There is nothing of this in the manuscripts and old editions. Everything leads us to believe that this music should be performed lightly, that passages should produce an effect as if giving a separate bow stroke to each note without leaving the string. When Mozart wished a legato, he indicated it"

[Gurn Blanston]

The problem lies within the late 19th-early 20th century of Mozart editions. Saint-Saens's words from his Mozart edition:
"One is accustomed to modern editions that indicate constantly legato, molto legato and sempre legato. There is nothing of this in the manuscripts and old editions. Everything leads us to believe that this music should be performed lightly, that passages should produce an effect as if giving a separate bow stroke to each note without leaving the string. When Mozart wished a legato, he indicated it"

That's a nice quote, I like it!

I think a lot of the 19th century's thoughts on playing 18th century works stem from ideas like the one Beethoven expressed to (Ries? Czerny?) where he was talking about having heard Mozart play when he was younger (probably Vienna in 1787), and he found it to be quite "choppy". My own thoughts on this are that this is because Mozart learned to play on a harpsichord rather than a piano, and the notes sound detached by the nature of the instrument. Way down inside, there must be an element of rightness to that sound. Unlike with a piano where 'perfect' legato was possible. The rise of legato playing styles and the rise in availability of the fortepiano are surely no coincidence.

There are a few fortepianist who play Mozart in a more detached manner, which I, personally, quite enjoy. One is Ludwig Sémerjian. I suppose it isn't for everyone...

[El Chupacabra]

That's a nice quote, I like it!

I think a lot of the 19th century's thoughts on playing 18th century works stem from ideas like the one Beethoven expressed to (Ries? Czerny?) where he was talking about having heard Mozart play when he was younger (probably Vienna in 1787), and he found it to be quite "choppy". My own thoughts on this are that this is because Mozart learned to play on a harpsichord rather than a piano, and the notes sound detached by the nature of the instrument. Way down inside, there must be an element of rightness to that sound. Unlike with a piano where 'perfect' legato was possible. The rise of legato playing styles and the rise in availability of the fortepiano are surely no coincidence.

There are a few fortepianist who play Mozart in a more detached manner, which I, personally, quite enjoy. One is Ludwig Sémerjian. I suppose it isn't for everyone...

It is only reasonable to think that they composed under the influence of the reactions they get from their instruments of the time.

Perahia's understanding is enough to satisfy me for modern.

[Gurn Blanston]

It is only reasonable to think that they composed under the influence of the reactions they get from their instruments of the time.

Perahia's understanding is enough to satisfy me for modern.

i didn't say composed, I said played in a certain way. But yes it IS only reasonable to suppose they composed for the instruments they had available.

The important thing is that you find an interpretation which satisfies what you want to get from your music listening. The music is so much more important than the performer. Of course, a new joueur de la journée is what keeps the recording business going. Have to hand it to Perahia, he has confounded them!   

[Pretorious]

Looks like Hyperion will be releasing the next volume in the Classical Piano Concerto series at the end of the year. Listening to the previews is making me very excited for this one, as I was a big fan of the first volume with a selection of Dussek's piano concertos. I was hoping they would continue with more of his works but this one looks equally pleasant.

I'll be purchasing this one upon release and will review it as soon as I can.

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68104

[Brahmsian]

Looks like Hyperion will be releasing the next volume in the Classical Piano Concerto series at the end of the year. Listening to the previews is making me very excited for this one, as I was a big fan of the first volume with a selection of Dussek's piano concertos. I was hoping they would continue with more of his works but this one looks equally pleasant.

I'll be purchasing this one upon release and will review it as soon as I can.

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68104

Dino, this is quite interesting to me.  In terms of a Classical Piano Concerto series, by Hyperion.  I am quite familiar that they had/have a Romantic Piano Concerto series, but had no idea they had embarked on a similar series, for the Classical Era.  Very cool indeed! 

[Pretorious]

Indeed! Yes, Hyperion kind of slipped this series in under the radar; they still don't have a separate section for it on their website like they do for their other series. Check out the first volume on Amazon, where you can also read my review on it.

[Florestan]

This is... miraculous! I don´t find any better word to describe it. If Arriaga was the Spanish Mozart, then Blasco de de Nebra was the Spanish Schubert, although he died (at 34) 13 full years before Franz was born.

Most of the sonatas are in two parts: a long, introspective Adagio (and it is exactly these movements that have an almost disturbing Schubertian mood: the same feeling of the time being suspended, the same tranquil yet poignant melancholy and above all the same ability to make major keys sound minor) and light-hearted but not light Allegro, exuberant and bursting with twists and turns of Spanish rythms and guitar-like effects.

At first I thought it was going to be some pleasant background music but very soon I quit doing anything else: the music gripped me by the throat heart and I could not do anything else but listen in awe.

The young Spanish pianist Pedro Casals (no kinship with Pablo) plays with sensitivity and delicacy in the slow movements and with fire and passion in the fast ones. It is aurally obvious that these recordings are a work of love (his Musicology doctoral thesis is devoted to Blasco de Nebra´s work). The sound is SOTA.

Make no mistake, Blasco de Nebra is one of the best keyboard composers one has never heard of. I can´t recommend and praise this series highly enough.

[mc ukrneal]

This is... miraculous! I don´t find any better word to describe it. If Arriaga was the Spanish Mozart, then Blasco de de Nebra was the Spanish Schubert, although he died (at 34) 13 full years before Franz was born.

Most of the sonatas are in two parts: a long, introspective Adagio (and it is exactly these movements that have an almost disturbing Schubertian mood: the same feeling of the time being suspended, the same tranquil yet poignant melancholy and above all the same ability to make major keys sound minor) and light-hearted but not light Allegro, exuberant and bursting with twists and turns of Spanish rythms and guitar-like effects.

At first I thought it was going to be some pleasant background music but very soon I quit doing anything else: the music gripped me by the throat heart and I could not do anything else but listen in awe.

The young Spanish pianist Pedro Casals (no kinship with Pablo) plays with sensitivity and delicacy in the slow movements and with fire and passion in the fast ones. It is aurally obvious that these recordings are a work of love (his Musicology doctoral thesis is devoted to Blasco de Nebra´s work). The sound is SOTA.

Make no mistake, Blasco de Nebra is one of the best keyboard composers one has never heard of. I can´t recommend and praise this series highly enough.

Looks good. Wishlisted.

[SonicMan46]

The young Spanish pianist Pedro Casals (no kinship with Pablo) plays with sensitivity and delicacy in the slow movements and with fire and passion in the fast ones. It is aurally obvious that these recordings are a work of love (his Musicology doctoral thesis is devoted to Blasco de Nebra´s work). The sound is SOTA.

Make no mistake, Blasco de Nebra is one of the best keyboard composers one has never heard of. I can´t recommend and praise this series highly enough.

Hi Andrei - I've own the CD below for a while, i.e. w/ Carole Cerasi on harpsichord & fortepiano - believe that is the only disc of his works she recorded, and not on a modern piano (assume what Casals used?) - will need to obtain at least one of those Naxos' recordings!  Dave