The Romantics in Period Performances

[Brian]

Is that a new or recent release?

[milk]

Is that a new or recent release?

I think it's a couple of years old. Maybe from 2017.

[milk]

[staxomega]

Does anyone know if this Jorg Demus recording of Fantasie in C came out on CD? Or any other recommendations for period instrument performances? Thanks. 

[Jo498]

I cannot answer these questions, just point out that the Demus "Schumann Box" that was out on different labels (Nuova Era?) is all on modern instruments as far as I recall, so not an option to get that one. (Several Schubert recordings on old instruments appeared on deutsche harmonia mundi but I also do not remember any solo Schumann.)

[Mandryka]

Does anyone know if this Jorg Demus recording of Fantasie in C came out on CD? Or any other recommendations for period instrument performances? Thanks. 

I have a transfer, which I can let you have. I do not believe it has ever been commercially transferred.

[Brian]

Chiaroscuro Quartet is recording Beethoven Op. 18 for BIS.

[milk]

You can kind of get the picture from the cover; I don't have notes, just streaming. But maybe they got the actual setlist from this supposed gathering at Proust's crib. These musicians sport an Erard and a Stradivarius, some kind of famous one from a museum, respectively. BBC gives this a stingy 3 out of 5 stars for performance. Gramaphone gives it a generous not-to-be-missed review. I'm leaning towards gramaphone. The music is tres cool and it's shorter than a Proust novel, so there's that. 

[milk]

[vers la flamme]

Not period instruments, but Harnoncourt's Amsterdam Schubert cycle is a killer, and sounds kind of "historically informed".

[San Antone]

Gottschalk | Music for Piano
Lambert Orkis performs on a 1865 Chickering concert grand piano

[milk]

I'm enjoying this. He uses an 1855 Erard. It's a lovely-sounding instrument. Well-balanced.

[Brian]

Does anyone know what piano Zoltan Kocsis uses on his 1980s Philips recital of the Chopin waltzes? I listened to it today and the piano, especially sounds the bass, sounds like it's from before World War I, maybe around 1880-1905. Certainly not from Chopin's time but it does not sound like a "new" 1980s piano.

(By the way, it's an extraordinary recital.)

[JBS]

First listen tonight


The cello sonatas were interesting and involving. Not my favorite Beethoven, but these sounded like different works than I remember from previous recordings.

The Bagatelles were underpowered, boring, and crying out to be played on a Steinway.

So a very mixed bag, and a definite miss by Staier.

[milk]

First listen tonight


The cello sonatas were interesting and involving. Not my favorite Beethoven, but these sounded like different works than I remember from previous recordings.

The Bagatelles were underpowered, boring, and crying out to be played on a Steinway.

So a very mixed bag, and a definite miss by Staier.

I wouldn't say Staier is representative of all period performance. There must be some way to enjoy the music on the pianos Beethoven wrote them, at least a little, which is why I think the other options are worth it. There are lots of options on period instruments.

[DavidW]

Beethoven is a classical era composer FYI.

[JBS]

I wouldn't say Staier is representative of all period performance. There must be some way to enjoy the music on the pianos Beethoven wrote them, at least a little, which is why I think the other options are worth it. There are lots of options on period instruments.

Naturally. I have Brautigam's full set, and there's nothing wrong with his performance. It's Staier's way of playing that I didn't like: it sounds more appropriate to a modern grand than any period instrument, which is why I referenced Steinway.

Beethoven is a classical era composer FYI.

I think of him as both, or as the transition point between Classical and Romantic. And most of the works on this CD are mid to late Beethoven: the cello sonatas are from 1815, the second set of Bagatelles from 1823. It's only some of the Opus 119 Bagatelles that date to c 1805.

[Iota]

Beethoven is a classical era composer FYI.

I think of him as both, or as the transition point between Classical and Romantic. And most of the works on this CD are mid to late Beethoven: the cello sonatas are from 1815, the second set of Bagatelles from 1823. It's only some of the Opus 119 Bagatelles that date to c 1805.

+1

[Que]

To avoid this issue, Beethoven has his own thread.... 

Beethoven in Period Performances

[JBS]

To avoid this issue, Beethoven has his own thread.... 

Beethoven in Period Performances

Forgot about that thread.
I jusr reposted my original post there.