The Romantics in Period Performances

[Que]

Ronald Brautigam brings us Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words on a McNulty replica of an 1830 Pleyel. Listen to clips from Volume 1 or gaze on the cover art:

I recently heard another HIP performance of Mendelssohn:



Don't buy it, it is terrible  : bad recording, ugly sounding fortepiano and rather uninspired playing.

But it did show me, however, the enormous potential of performing this repertoire on a period instrument,

So, I'm definitely going to check out the new Brautigam recording.

Q

[Brian]

No fear here, Que. I'm on the last track now, and it's beautifully interpreted throughout, up to Brautigam's usual standards. The piano is one I find very, very appealing, too.

[Gurn Blanston]

I've a question for the music historians on our site:

When did playing with constant vibrato become standard practice?

Is it, or has it ever been, actually 'standard practice'?  I'm not taking the opposite here, I am genuinely curious. I've read Hurwitz's couple of essays, but he is so biased that he hears what he wants to hear. Can I take standard practice to mean that everyone does it? The orchestral players and the soloist.

I believe (from a logical standpoint rather than as a musician) that to some extent, the orchestral violins have always done it to some degree because for the entire section to play with perfect intonation at all times is... unlikely. And I think that soloists have always used it as a means of expression. However, and this is just my opinion, I don't believe that there was ever a time when no vibrato at all was used, neither do I believe that huge amounts of vibrato were used.

If anyone cares to refute this, by all means, I am interested as can be, and profess my ignorance beyond having read an essay or two (other than Hurwitz) about it. They may have been full of crap too. 

[Gurn Blanston]

Ronald Brautigam brings us Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words on a McNulty replica of an 1830 Pleyel. Listen to clips from Volume 1 or gaze on the cover art:

Boy, I like that. Wonder how many disks will it ultimately take.

[milk]

I thought I'd stick this up here and see if anyone had an opinion. I don't know this music but I have several of Koch's recordings.

[milk]

...And this, while I'm at it...just in case anyone is interested.

[Geo Dude]

A novelty: a Brahms piano concerto on period instruments!  The added review from all music reflects other comments I've seen: the abilities of the orchestra fall short.

[asin]B005DZIMDO[/asin]

Q

Too bad about the orchestra, though I will of course have to hear it anyway at some point.

This disc, which I just picked up, is brilliant:



Rittner doesn't have to worry about an orchestra that's not up to the task here...

[milk]

My quest for HIP Dvorak has led me here:

[Leo K.]

Got some more Jan Vermeulen, Schumann and Weber. I haven't encountered Weber's piano sonatas before now, and Schumann on fortepiano is new to me, will listen to these soon:

[Opus106]

Transitions: Dussek, Beethoven & Mendelssohn

Beethoven: Bagatelles (7), Op. 33; Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Dussek, J L: Piano Sonata No. 24 Op. 61 in F sharp minor
Mendelssohn: Variations sérieuses in D minor Op. 54

Olga Pashchenko (pianoforte)

[asin]B009YYNUQY[/asin]

This first album of the Russian pianist, harpsichordist and organist Olga Pashchenko – student of Alexei Lubimov and Richard Egarr; prizewinner of several international music competitions ('Schloss Kremsegg' for fortepiano in 2011; 'Hans von Bulow' for piano in 2012...) depicts the rebellious and yet very tender metamorphosis between two 'states' of art – Classical and Romantic. Dussek, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn stand at the crossroads of the two styles; demonstrating how the transformation to Romanticism was subtle and hidden in the smallest details of the well-composed, transparent architecture of the music of the Classical period.

The two original instruments (Conrad Graf 1826 & Donat Schoeffstoss 1812) chosen with care by Olga Pashchenko are in possession of a great clarity of sound, and uncover immense timbral possibilities, allowing one to play with the rhetoric as much as with the colours.

Fuga Libera

[Que]

More new stuff - played on a Schantz! Which is IMO a BIG deal!

[asin] B009VA4H1I[/asin]

Not yet available on US Amazon, so the link is dead - for now.

http://www.amazon.de/Schubert-Die-Letzten-Jahre-Klavierwerke/dp/B009VA4H1I/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1359899923&sr=1-2

Q

[Florestan]

Got some more Jan Vermeulen, Schumann and Weber. I haven't encountered Weber's piano sonatas before now, and Schumann on fortepiano is new to me, will listen to these soon:

Did you have time to listen to these? I'm especially interested in the Weber set.

[SonicMan46]

Did you have time to listen to these? I'm especially interested in the Weber set.

Hi Andrei - I've owned that 2-CD set for CM von Weber's Piano Sonatas for a while performed by Jan Vermeulen on a Tröndlin (Leipzig) 1825 instrument (presume a restoration although not mentioned in the liner notes), but was curious so found some information (quoted below) & a pic of one of his 1830 pianos - now I've not listened to this set in a while but just put on the first disc (and have NO comparative experience in these works); the right hand is quite melodious w/ good contrast w/ the bass (almost orchestral - might be expected w/ this composer); the piano sound is quite full, i.e. not like a modern instrument but getting close - enjoying!

Concerning reviews, a rather positive one by a good reviewer (IMO) on Amazon HERE, and a more negative review on MusicWeb HERE by someone who may not like the fortepiano, so maybe a 'red flag' issue?  Now after reading this post & the reviews, and if you are still interested, the CD set may be OOP - now selling on Amazon for $65 (I'm sure that I did not pay much over $10 when purchased) - Dave

Tröndlin, 1830, Leipzig.  Johann Nepomuk Tröndlin (1790-1862) studied instrument making in southern Germany and Vienna. From 1821-1824 Tröndlin ran the instrument manufacture division of Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig. Subsequently he established his own business, which was sold in 1855. Tröndlin's instruments were praised by Clara Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

 

[Florestan]

Thanks, Dave.

[Leo K.]

Did you have time to listen to these? I'm especially interested in the Weber set.

Actually not yet! They are on my pile ready to go, will try to listen soon 

[milk]

I find it curious that there seems to be many period performances of Schumann's first and third piano trios but none of the second. Why is this?

Finally!

[Leo K.]

I've never listened to HIP Brahms yet, but the La Gaia Scienza recording of Brahms is a complete revelation!

[Brian]

BRAHMS: LATE PIANO WORKS
The Composer's Piano
Brahms: Opp.116-119

GWENDOLYN MOK, piano
1868 Erard Grand Piano
1871 Streicher Grand Piano

http://www.msrcd.com/catalog/cd/MS1420

[milk]

Transitions: Dussek, Beethoven & Mendelssohn

Beethoven: Bagatelles (7), Op. 33; Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Dussek, J L: Piano Sonata No. 24 Op. 61 in F sharp minor
Mendelssohn: Variations sérieuses in D minor Op. 54

Olga Pashchenko (pianoforte)

[asin]B009YYNUQY[/asin]
Thanks for the posting on this one. I just downloaded this. So far I'm loving it.   

This first album of the Russian pianist, harpsichordist and organist Olga Pashchenko – student of Alexei Lubimov and Richard Egarr; prizewinner of several international music competitions ('Schloss Kremsegg' for fortepiano in 2011; 'Hans von Bulow' for piano in 2012...) depicts the rebellious and yet very tender metamorphosis between two 'states' of art – Classical and Romantic. Dussek, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn stand at the crossroads of the two styles; demonstrating how the transformation to Romanticism was subtle and hidden in the smallest details of the well-composed, transparent architecture of the music of the Classical period.

The two original instruments (Conrad Graf 1826 & Donat Schoeffstoss 1812) chosen with care by Olga Pashchenko are in possession of a great clarity of sound, and uncover immense timbral possibilities, allowing one to play with the rhetoric as much as with the colours.

Fuga Libera

[Geo Dude]

I realize this was discussed a while back, but I'm curious to see what thoughts on it the one or two people who own it have now that the dust has settled.

[asin]B000WUC18W[/asin]