Reynaldo (Hahn's) jet d'eau

[ritter]

Is anyone familiar with this disc?
Hahn: Oeuvres Concertantes, Vol. 1
Maguelone Music
2013



I can't say I've even heard of the record label Maguelone Music.  But they seem to have a few interesting Hahn discs, all recorded around 2001 to 2002.  I have no idea about the recording quality or musicianship.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, as I'm considering buying it.

By the way, I don't have a lot of Hahn (yet), but I have and love Susan Grahams's album of Hahn's songs on Sony; and I have also the Timpani disc with Le bal de Beatrice d'Este.

The Maguelone label seems to be a boutique operation specialising in French composers (some of them really obscure). They've done a series of Hahn CDs (including several premiere recordings), a couple of Jolivet releases, and—rather fittingly—some CDs of music by Brahms. In my experience, I've had no quibbles about  the production values and musicianship.

A couple of years ago, I caught the Hahn Piano Concerto (started) on Spanish National Radio and said to myself "What a lovely performance!". It turned out to be this one by Angéline Pondepeyre under Fernand Quattrocchi (which had been in my collection for years). The alternatives are Magda Tagliaferro under the composer, and Stephen Coombs on Hyperion (the latter restores some measures missing from the other recordings).

The Piano Concerto is IMHO one of Hahn's best works in any genre, where his very personal blend of nostalgia and carelessness finds a very accomplished expression. I'm less fond of the more "conventional" Violin Concerto, and should revisit the Suite hongroise soon, as I don't have any particular recollection of the piece.

There's a  detailed, positive review (perhaps less enthusiastic than me about the performance of the Plano Concerto)  of this CD by Ian Lace in musicweb-international.

Regards

[Zeus]

Super!  Thanks!

I'm about to pull the trigger on Le rossignol éperdu (Eidi, Timpani) at the moment – I really like the sound samples I listened to.

But at the moment I am listening to Le bal de Beatrice d'Este!

[snyprrr]

Is anyone familiar with Hahn's big Piano Work... some "bird" thing...??...

Earl Wild and Billy Eidi have recordings... anyone???

[Zeus]

I recently bought Eidi's Le rossignol éperdu (Timpani), and I think it's really great.

I can't imagine Wild's version could be better.  I'm completely satisfied.

[asin] B00NO5BVEC[/asin]

Ok, maybe the cover could be better.

[ritter]

Cross-posted from the "New Releases" thread:

The Palezzetto Bru Zane - Centre de Musique Romatique Française will be issuing a 4 CD set of the complete songs of Reynaldo Hahn, with baritone Tassis Christoyannis and Jeff Cohen at the piano.



AFAIK, this is the first such traversal of Reynaldo's mélodies on record. The excellent Hyperion set (with Graham Johnson at the piano and several distiguished soloists, including Felicty Lott) did not claim to be complete

This release coincides with a "Reynaldo Hahn Festival" the Palazzetto Bru Zane is holding this season. Details can be found here. Interestingly, the festival will include performances of Hahn's early operas L'île du rêve (an "idylle polynésienne" based on Pierre Loti) and La Carmélite (on a libretto by Catulle Mendès--I don't expect that to be great poetry, Mendès's text for Chabrier's Gwendoline being one of the worst librettos I've ever come across  ). Neither of these pieces has ever been recorded AFAIK. The Bru Zane website mentions that both works will appear in their (lavishly produced) "Opéra Français" collection of CDs housed within hardback books with a wealth of essays, background information and librettos of the works presented.

Also, the Palazzetto Bru Zane  recorded in September in Avignon the comédie musicale Ô mon bel inconnu i (libretto by Sacha Guitry), with Véronique Gens among the cast. The release should be imminent.

[pjme]

This cheap EMI cd has an excellent recording of Le bal de Béatrice d'Este. It is a 1974 recording of the Orchestre de Paris and Jean Pierre Jacquillat conducting.
I see that, already in 2015 I, sang my praises of the violinconcerto. The slow movement ("Chant d'amour", no less ) I find meltingly beautiful.
And I think this short choral work "O fons Bandusiae" needs a good recording...

https://www.youtube.com/v/aG9UYLweop8

[pjme]

I rather like Mel Odom's art.
Let's call it Neo- Art Déco / neo-Art nouveau and it is  quite erotic. That suits Hahn well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Odom_(artist)

[SymphonicAddict]

I rather like Mel Odom's art.
Let's call it Neo- Art Déco / neo-Art nouveau and it is  quite erotic. That suits Hahn well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Odom_(artist)

Striking paintings. Timpani label has at least one featuring his art:

[ritter]

...
And I think this short choral work "O fons Bandusiae" needs a good recording...

https://www.youtube.com/v/aG9UYLweop8

Lovely little piece. Yes, it would be Niceto have a good recording of it...

[ritter]

Cross-posted from the reading thread:

More proustian stuff:

[asin]8804716207[/asin]

Lorenza Foschini enjoyed an international success some years ago with Proust's Overcoat, which dealt with Jacques Guérin's obsessive quest to save all things related to Proust (manuscripts and personal belongings) from dispersion or destruction. In this new (short—169 pages) book, she deals with Proust's and Reynaldo Hahn's romance and later friendship. Very well written, in short chapters that are precisely located and dated (and profusely annotated, with clear indication of the sources of each and every statement made), this is a very enjoyable read. The book (released in September 2019) was immediately translated into French, and I expect an English version will appear soon.

I just finished this short book, and it was an immensely enjoyable read. Still, I'm afraid that Signora Foschini isn't really that familiar with Reynaldo's music (which, granted, is not the subject matter of the book—Proust's Recherche doesn't get much attention either), and perhaps exaggerates Hahn's apparent bitterness when, years after his romantic liaison with Proust had ended and had morphed into a close friendship, the latter became a lauded author, while Hahn didn't fulfill  the promise of his enfant prodige years and failed to be regarded as a composer of the first rank. Still, the author does correctly emphasise  the nostalgic component of much of Hahn's music. In any event, a well researched and well written book, which I highly recommend (as mentioned in my quoted post above, I'd expect an English translation to appear relatively quickly).

[kyjo]

My exposure to Hahn's music is rather limited, though I very much enjoy his graciously melodic Violin Sonata (what an opening theme!) and Piano Quintet. I remember being rather disappointed by his Piano Concerto.

[ritter]

My exposure to Hahn's music is rather limited, though I very much enjoy his graciously melodic Violin Sonata (what an opening theme!) and Piano Quintet. I remember being rather disappointed by his Piano Concerto.

I should revisit the Violin Sonata soon. The thing is, I have this (irrational  ) aversion to the violin + piano combination. I can't think of any violin sonata I really like ( Enescu's Third Sonata, « dans le caractère populaire roumain » is the one to come closest  ).

If you enjoy the Piano Quintet, do explore the Piano Quartet (Hahn at the top of his game IMHO), and the Second SQ in F major. A new recording of it, along with the Debussy SQ and a (curious) arrangement of the Ariettes oubliées for string quartet, performed by the hitherto unknown to me Noga Quartet will be released by Challenge Records at the end of this week.

[Symphonic Addict]

The charming Violin Concerto is not to be missed either. The 2nd movement is sublime.

[kyjo]

I should revisit the Violin Sonata soon. The thing is, I have this (irrational  ) aversion to the violin + piano combination. I can't think of any violin sonata I really like ( Enescu's Third Sonata, « dans le caractère populaire roumain » is the one to come closest  ).

If you enjoy the Piano Quintet, do explore the Piano Quartet (Hahn at the top of his game IMHO), and the Second SQ in F major. A new recording of it, along with the Debussy SQ and a (curious) arrangement of the Ariettes oubliées for string quartet, performed by the hitherto unknown to me Noga Quartet will be released by Challenge Records at the end of this week.

Violin+piano isn't one of my favorite combinations either, but Hahn's Violin Sonata is an exception and is probably among my top 10 violin sonatas. I've heard the Piano Quartet, and IIRC it struck me as pleasant but not particularly memorable. I'll have to check out the string quartets next.

[pjme]

Hahn is a master in creating little gems.

https://www.youtube.com/v/badkMGiLGdk

https://www.youtube.com/v/-8K6pRWProg

I like the tenor's name: Enguerrand de Hys (less so the rolled "r"s..)

[Papy Oli]

Hahn is a master in creating little gems.

That's beautiful, that...and i am usually not keen on hearing classical singing in my own language.

[pjme]

Ah, so you are French? 

[Papy Oli]

Ah, so you are French? 

Last time I checked, yes 

[kyjo]

The charming Violin Concerto is not to be missed either. The 2nd movement is sublime.

That's on my radar to explore, for sure!

[ritter]

The Palezzetto Bru Zane - Centre de Musique Romatique Française will be issuing a 4 CD set of the complete songs of Reynaldo Hahn, with baritone Tassis Christoyannis and Jeff Cohen at the piano.



AFAIK, this is the first such traversal of Reynaldo's mélodies on record. The excellent Hyperion set (with Graham Johnson at the piano and several distiguished soloists, including Felicty Lott) did not claim to be complete.

Presto gives October 25 as release date.

Michael Cookson has reviewed this new set for MusicWeb International . I agree with Mr. Cookson's generally favourable review, but also coincide with him that having the—otherwise excellent—Tassis Christoyannis in all the songs does lead to some monotony (particularly since the composer specified different voice types for songs within sone of his collections). Additionally, it must be noted that the set is not absolutely complete, as those songs that require choral accompaniment (some of the Douze rondels and of the Études latines) are omitted. Also, the last number of Venezia, La Primavera, is deprived of the—I presume ad libitum—supporting voices (AFAIK, the only recording presenting it with additional voices is Anthony Rolfe-Johnson's with Graham Johnson on Hyperion).

In any case, this is a valuable set, produced with great care, and with wonderful performances by both Mr. Christoyannis and pianist Jeff Cohen.