The Romantics in Period Performances

Started by Que, April 09, 2007, 07:07:54 AM

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Brian

I wrote that! I should point out that the performance of the second (numbered) trio didn't stack up to their playing in the others... as far as Atlantis goes, I love Penelope Crawford and her fortepiano choices, but Jaap Schroeder's violin playing bothers me just about every time he appears on Musica Omnia. Seems like every disc has a few wince-inducing moments of bad playing from him. Of course, maybe what I regard as "bad playing" is what you regard as a special quality. :)

milk

Quote from: Brian on July 22, 2013, 04:43:52 AM
I wrote that! I should point out that the performance of the second (numbered) trio didn't stack up to their playing in the others... as far as Atlantis goes, I love Penelope Crawford and her fortepiano choices, but Jaap Schroeder's violin playing bothers me just about every time he appears on Musica Omnia. Seems like every disc has a few wince-inducing moments of bad playing from him. Of course, maybe what I regard as "bad playing" is what you regard as a special quality. :)
Well, maybe I should give this a try. How do you think it compares with the Huggett? 

Opus106

Quote from: Geo Dude on July 21, 2013, 08:38:36 PM
Has the PI movement went to work on Grieg, yet?

Yes -- a long time ago!

http://www.youtube.com/v/J_Ztjt7JuUY

I'm with you, if you think the sound should be improved a tad. ;)
Regards,
Navneeth

SonicMan46

Quote from: Geo Dude on July 21, 2013, 08:38:36 PM
Has the PI movement went to work on Grieg, yet?  If so, any recommendations?

Well, Grieg's dates are 1843-1907, so he was composing music in the latter half of the 19th century; so just thinking about the piano, by then the cast iron frame, improved strings, etc. had brought the instrument close to its 'modern' form (quote below from HERE) - NOW, in the first half of that century, PI performances on the piano have a much more interesting chronology.  But just my 2 cents - Dave :)

QuoteIn the period lasting from about 1790 to 1860, the Mozart-era piano underwent tremendous changes that led to the modern form of the instrument. This revolution was in response to a preference by composers and pianists for a more powerful, sustained piano sound, and made possible by the ongoing Industrial Revolution with resources such as high-quality piano wire for strings, and precision casting for the production of iron frames.

SonicMan46

Quote from: Brian on July 22, 2013, 04:43:52 AM
I wrote that! I should point out that the performance of the second (numbered) trio didn't stack up to their playing in the others... as far as Atlantis goes, I love Penelope Crawford and her fortepiano choices, but Jaap Schroeder's violin playing bothers me just about every time he appears on Musica Omnia. Seems like every disc has a few wince-inducing moments of bad playing from him. Of course, maybe what I regard as "bad playing" is what you regard as a special quality. :)

Hey Brian - excellent review!  I own the two Musica Omnia offerings below - the early Trio by Felix is not included, but the Sextet, Op. 110 is on the CD w/ Trio, Op. 49; there is also a 24 minute disc of the performers discussing the music called 'Beyond the Notes' - the latter does not add much for me (the liner notes are thorough & excellent).  Now, I do have a couple of 'modern' performances of these works by Felix - should I get another w/ PIs - hmmm?  Thanks for the input - Dave :)

P.S. Just checked Amazon for the price on the Brilliant set and found a rather negative review by Scott Morrison HERE, a little uncharacteristic for him, but he is one of the few reviewers there that I am often in agreement -  :-X


   

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: SonicMan46 on July 22, 2013, 07:42:25 AM
P.S. Just checked Amazon for the price on the Brilliant set and found a rather negative review by Scott Morrison

The review doesn't deter me. I want the set because it's PI (with a fortepiano). I already have MI versions that he admires: Istomin/Stern/Rose and Gilad/Fischer/Müller-Schott.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

SonicMan46

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on July 22, 2013, 08:05:23 AM
The review doesn't deter me. I want the set because it's PI (with a fortepiano). I already have MI versions that he admires: Istomin/Stern/Rose and Gilad/Fischer/Müller-Schott.

Hi Sarge - well, I put the recording on my 'wish list' at the price being offered (and have Prime) since I just have the one set of PI performances & two modern ones, so four is a nice round number!  :D   Dave

P.S. Hey, maybe we can get Brian to post a 5* review on Amazon just to jack up the rating to a more appropriate 4* -  ;) ;D

Brian

Dave, I wouldn't rate it 5 stars - as mentioned in the "Recordings of the Month" thread, that honorific was bestowed by my editors! I thought the Second Trio was rather less urgently played than the First, so if you're happy with the Atlantis recordings on Musica Omnia (that is a fun reading of the Sextet!), those may satisfy your needs.

Quote from: milk on July 22, 2013, 05:13:43 AM
Well, maybe I should give this a try. How do you think it compares with the Huggett?
'Fraid I can't answer that one, don't know the Huggett. :(

Que

Quote from: SonicMan46 on July 22, 2013, 07:42:25 AM
Hey Brian - excellent review!  I own the two Musica Omnia offerings below - the early Trio by Felix is not included, but the Sextet, Op. 110 is on the CD w/ Trio, Op. 49; there is also a 24 minute disc of the performers discussing the music called 'Beyond the Notes' - the latter does not add much for me (the liner notes are thorough & excellent).  Now, I do have a couple of 'modern' performances of these works by Felix - should I get another w/ PIs - hmmm?  Thanks for the input - Dave :)

P.S. Just checked Amazon for the price on the Brilliant set and found a rather negative review by Scott Morrison HERE, a little uncharacteristic for him, but he is one of the few reviewers there that I am often in agreement -  :-X


   

What is so surprising to me is the fact that the Mendelssohn piano trios are so often picked for a period performance?


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Leertouwer et al (Globe) do the job excellently for me - never had the inclination to look further. :)

Q

milk

#509
Quote from: Que on July 22, 2013, 09:56:20 AM
What is so surprising to me is the fact that the Mendelssohn piano trios are so often picked for a period performance?


Leertouwer et al (Globe) do the job excellently for me - never had the inclination to look further. :)
Q

I'd like to see more Dvorak (although Caste and Explorations are very good), the Brahms trios, as well as Tchaikovsky and Faure perhaps.

Quote from: Brian on July 22, 2013, 04:43:52 AM
I wrote that! I should point out that the performance of the second (numbered) trio didn't stack up to their playing in the others... as far as Atlantis goes, I love Penelope Crawford and her fortepiano choices, but Jaap Schroeder's violin playing bothers me just about every time he appears on Musica Omnia. Seems like every disc has a few wince-inducing moments of bad playing from him. Of course, maybe what I regard as "bad playing" is what you regard as a special quality. :)

I've been obsessing about this since your post. I have the Huggett to compare to Schroeder. I love the spirit of Atlantis but Schroeder does seem play on the edge intonation-wise sometimes. He is also quite rough - in a way I like - in the Schumann quartet compared with Scienza. I'm really curious if there's an explanation that violinists or others familiar with technical considerations might have. I'm curious if Schoeder is making an aesthetic choice. Or maybe I'm just over thinking it. Crawford is marvelous in all the Omnia releases.

Que

Quote from: milk on July 23, 2013, 02:36:15 AM
I'd like to see more Dvorak (although Caste and Explorations are very good), the Brahms trios, as well as Tchaikovsky and Faure perhaps.

Hear, hear! Fauré piano quartets and trios with an Érard, can you imagine? :)

Q

milk



I haven't seen too much mention of these. Comparing the nocturnes on PPs of Van Oort and Boegner with Dang Thai Son, I think Dang Thai Son is the strongest. However, I humbly submit my own opinion as the least reliable of those who regularly chime in on the forums (I regularly reevaluate my opinion according to suggestions made here).
Still...
I wonder what the rest of the year will bring in terms of romantic PI recordings. Perhaps we'll see the conclusion of Brautigam's Songs Without words...

Pat B

Hi milk. I don't have any of the nocturnes in HIP. For a while I was considering the "Real Chopin" box but never pulled the trigger. Meanwhile I was fortunate enough to find Lubimov's Ballades etc. at a reasonable price. On my first two listens I thought: this doesn't work, and maybe Chopin is where I draw the line on PI. But your post (although about different Chopin) reminded me to give it another chance and am enjoying it much more.

milk

Quote from: Pat B on August 01, 2013, 09:19:45 PM
Hi milk. I don't have any of the nocturnes in HIP. For a while I was considering the "Real Chopin" box but never pulled the trigger. Meanwhile I was fortunate enough to find Lubimov's Ballades etc. at a reasonable price. On my first two listens I thought: this doesn't work, and maybe Chopin is where I draw the line on PI. But your post (although about different Chopin) reminded me to give it another chance and am enjoying it much more.
I'm a really big fan of Lubimov. His recent Debussy is fantastic. I'll have to search out his Chopin. I have a really good Alain Planes Chopin recording and also an interesting recital by Katin on a square piano. I'm curious what others might think of the Dan Son Thai. 

Geo Dude



This is just wonderful.  Any other recommendations for Brahms late piano works on a period instrument?

Geo Dude

Speaking of Brahms on period instruments, this very recent release should be excellent if it is half as good as the previous three volumes in the series:


Que

I wasn't quite convinced by Ritter as an interpreter.  :-\ I mean...Brahms is hard to pull of and Ritter is not in the ranks of a Lubimov or Staier, who would seem good candidates.

Anyway, anyone noticed this before? Yoi can never have too many recordings of these pieces - also hard to get right IMO. :)

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Q

Que

Another issue by Tobias Koch:



With more than just Schumann...

Robert Schumann (1810–1856): Bunte Blätter Opus 99; Albumblätter Opus 124; Albumblatt Ahnung; Da kein Brief von dir kam.
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Albumblatt Frei nach Schumann; Albumblatt für Mathilde Hartmann; Albumblatt für Arnold Wehner.   
Theodor Kirchner (1823–1903): Albumblatt Der Klavierstimmer kommt; Gedenkblatt Robert Schumann † 1856.
Woldemar Bargiel (1828–1897): Albumblatt

Q

milk

Listening to this tonight:

Piet Kuijken also has a recording of Humoreske on fortepiano but I'm responding more to Giacometti.

Pat B

This was posted on the listening thread regarding Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy:
Quote from: Que on November 02, 2013, 12:39:44 AM
I like to a degree :-\... it is precisely the pianistic aspect that evokes some reservations - I like other aspects of Schubert better.
A performance on a period instrument might change my mind - as it did in Liszt's case. After Pollini and Perahia, I kind of lost interest and stopped looking any further.

Yesterday I re-listened to Viviana Sofronitsky on fp. It's about as good as I remembered it (which is very good). Today, I just listened to Pollini which is excellent in its way, though very pianistic and not at all period, of course. I probably don't completely understand this piece yet but I think I prefer Sofronitsky. Based on what you wrote, I vote for you to consider this. :)

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