Jan Dussek - Piano Virtuoso & Composer!

[SonicMan46]

^ note that FRANZ XAVIER Dussek is not Jan, nor is he related to that musical family - he just happens to have the same last name.

AS for the Quintet, YES - very much recommended.  I have not heard the Violin Sonatas yet, but, I would go ahead and say this is his best chamber piece, over the String Quartets and the Piano Quartet.  I get an early-Romantic feel sometimes from Opus 41.

OOPS - yes, I noticed that after posting, and after reviewing Jan's catalog HERE, there are no symphonies listed - thanks for bringing that to my attention - still in my Amazon cart - Dave

[amw]

Does anyone know anything about this set? http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Heritage/HTGCD300

I suppose a complete set would be nice, if the playing's good, though any performances of the Élégie harmonique & Le retour à Paris are unlikely to best Staier in my esteem. Most of Dussek's piano sonatas are on a level with the majority of Haydn's, pleasant but not exceptional, but the best ones can match early Schubert/middle Beethoven I think.

edit: apparently Richard Egarr is planning to record the complete solo works as well... maybe I'll wait for that one instead. Though Dussek does sound pretty good on a modern piano as well, as Markus Becker has attested.

edit 2: the second volume of Garzón's cycle is scheduled for release in August according to https://harmoniamundiuk.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/classical-aug-25-wp.pdf

[Scion7]

too bad he was as fat as a house during most of his life!   

[SonicMan46]

too bad he was as fat as a house during most of his life!   

Actually, before he 'blew up' like a beach ball, he was considered a good looking younger man, especially his facial profile (below is about the best pic I could find) - in fact, there is a story (real or not?) that the piano was turned 'sideways' on the stage so the audience could see his profile - think that may have started a trend!      Dave

[SonicMan46]

Duo Harp & Fortepiano music of Dussek - I just received V.2 of the performances of these works w/ Masumi Nagasawa on a F.J. Naderman single-action harp (Paris), 1815 & Richard Egarr on a John Broadwood fortepiano, 1804 (same instruments used for both volumes, cover art shown below).

There are few reviews of these recordings but Jerry Dubins gave V.1 the worst review that I've seen written by him, basically calling the production a DISASTER (review attached) - the closing sentence quoted below - now I just re-listened to that disc and the sound can be reverberant, especially in the louder portions of the fortepiano, BUT I'm not sure - Jerry may have been wearing one of those old-time diving helmets - 

Jerry seem to blame 'his comments' on the recording location; NOW, V.2 (recorded elsewhere) received a strong review in MusicWeb HERE - SO, just curious of others' opinions of these works - Dave

This release could have been a valuable addition to the Dussek discography. The instruments are authentic: an 1815 single-action Naderman harp, which has a lovely silvery tone when heard solo in the only redeeming item on the program, the op. 34 solo harp sonata; and the aforementioned Broadwood 1804 Grand, a five-octave plus seven-note model. In no way can either Nagasawa or Egarr be faulted for this recording disaster.   Jerry Dubins

   

[Scion7]

He was addicted to drink in the last years of his life - his obesity was probably due to gout impeding his physical exertions.  Too bad, because a piece like the   

     Piano Sonata (No. 28?) in f-minor, Opus 77 L'Invocation

from circa 1812 should be remembered as being from the handsome Dussek of his younger days, not a blob.
Astoundingly forward-looking.

[Scion7]

No one has the cd of his late SQs (1806)?

Yes, the release by these musicians: 

From your other postings, I didn't think this sort of thing was your cuppa?
But however you came to be interested, I applaud your diversification. 

[SonicMan46]

Well, I started this Dussek thread back in 2007 and is on only a couple of pages w/ the last post in 2014 - since that latter time I've not added much to Jan's collection until recently; most famous for his Piano Sonatas, admired by Haydn, and 'regarded by his contemporaries as on of the foremost keyboard performers and composers of his age' (from the liner notes).

Well, Brilliant is half way through an 8-CD series recording all of his keyboard works on a variety of fortepianos using 8 different performers - I have bought into the first 4 volumes (the 5th is on the Brilliant website as a recent release) - below is a listing of the of the fortepianists for these first four releases along w/ the instruments used; also the pics show which sonatas are included on their cover art.  Dave

V. 1 - Bart van Oort - Longman Clementi (London, 1798-1799), restored in 2002.
V. 2 - Piet Kuijken - Longman Clementi (London, 1798) - same collection as used by Oort.
V. 3 - Alexei Lubimov - same fortepiano (FP) as previous volumes.
V. 4 - Tuija Hakkila - Anon. Viennese FP, ca. 1795-1800 restored & copy of Longman Clementi FP (London, 1798) made Chris Maene, 2003

   

 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I have this CD with Rudolf Firkusny (a wonderful and favorite of mine Czech pianist) which I've enjoyed.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=92144

Has anyone here heard it before now?  I'd like to explore more of Dussek's works too.

PD

[Daverz]

I have this CD with Rudolf Firkusny (a wonderful and favorite of mine Czech pianist) which I've enjoyed.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=92144

Has anyone here heard it before now?  I'd like to explore more of Dussek's works too.

PD

I have this, and it is very good.  I would warn you not to listen to Dvorak last as you will not remember anything that came before it, despite the fact that Dvorak's piano music was supposedly not "idiomatic" for the instrument. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I have this, and it is very good.  I would warn you not to listen to Dvorak last as you will not remember anything that came before it, despite the fact that Dvorak's piano music was supposedly not "idiomatic" for the instrument.

  But, seriously, it's been a while since I've listened to it; that said, I do love me my Dvorak!   

Best,

PD

p.s.  And I do love your avatar!  Is that one of yours (cats?)?

[Daverz]

p.s.  And I do love your avatar!  Is that one of yours (cats?)?

Just a cat photo I found on the internet.  I had a even weirder hairless cat as my avatar before it was lost in the big GMG crash in the 2000s.

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, I started this Dussek thread back in 2007 and is on only a couple of pages w/ the last post in 2014 - since that latter time I've not added much to Jan's collection until recently; most famous for his Piano Sonatas, admired by Haydn, and 'regarded by his contemporaries as on of the foremost keyboard performers and composers of his age' (from the liner notes).

Well, Brilliant is half way through an 8-CD series recording all of his keyboard works on a variety of fortepianos using 8 different performers - I have bought into the first 4 volumes (the 5th is on the Brilliant website as a recent release) - below is a listing of the of the fortepianists for these first four releases along w/ the instruments used; also the pics show which sonatas are included on their cover art.  Dave

   

 

I have the first 3 of those, Dave, and am looking forward to the rest of them. I also have this one that is new and interesting:



Oh, and have we ever mentioned this super little keyboard trios one? I can't remember, it's been too long away from this thread:



I have actually been listening to quite a lot of Dussek, since he was in London with Haydn on both trips there and I played a lot of music by those people who were. Very nice!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Just a cat photo I found on the internet.  I had a even weirder hairless cat as my avatar before it was lost in the big GMG crash in the 2000s.

Pardon my slight diversion of this thread:  do you have a cat of your own?

PD

[Daverz]

Pardon my slight diversion of this thread:  do you have a cat of your own?

No, I don't have any pets.

Latest Dussek acquisition, Piano Concerto in B-flat major, played by Rena Kyriakou in a Vox Box



Original Lp cover:



Nobody can seem to agree how to spell the composer's name.

[SonicMan46]

I have this CD with Rudolf Firkusny (a wonderful and favorite of mine Czech pianist) which I've enjoyed.



http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=92144

Has anyone here heard it before now?  I'd like to explore more of Dussek's works too.

Hi PD - just added a pic above for those who may be interested - do not have that specific set, but probably many of the performances on other CDs - thanks for contributing to this thread - Dave

[SonicMan46]

I have the first 3 of those, Dave, and am looking forward to the rest of them. I also have this one that is new and interesting:

 

Oh, and have we ever mentioned this super little keyboard trios one? I can't remember, it's been too long away from this thread:

I have actually been listening to quite a lot of Dussek, since he was in London with Haydn on both trips there and I played a lot of music by those people who were. Very nice!

Hi Gurn - glad that you have 'jumped in' to comment and not surprised that you already own most of the released Brilliant FP set - today, I'm listening for a second time and really enjoying, so will likely continue to acquire the CDs on release.  BTW, the 'Trios' recording was mentioned by Harry and me on the first page (in 2007 - YIKES!).

The 'Concerto for Two Pianos', i.e. fortepianos looks enticing, but the Amazon USA price is pushing $20 (half that for the MP3 DL) - did you find a 'better deal'?  Dave

[Gurn Blanston]

Hi Gurn - glad that you have 'jumped in' to comment and not surprised that you already own most of the released Brilliant FP set - today, I'm listening for a second time and really enjoying, so will likely continue to acquire the CDs on release.  BTW, the 'Trios' recording was mentioned by Harry and me on the first page (in 2007 - YIKES!).

The 'Concerto for Two Pianos', i.e. fortepianos looks enticing, but the Amazon USA price is pushing $20 (half that for the MP3 DL) - did you find a 'better deal'?  Dave

Dave, yeah, it was $13 at Presto, and I was getting a few others so the shipping was negligible. Lubimov is really very good on this, as I expected, and Olga was a pleasant new discovery.

I figured someone had mentioned those trios, I just happened to listen to them the other night so they were on my mind.

This isn't an exclusive Dussek disk, but I got it for the Krumpholz as well. These are works that were played at Haydn's London concerts, where harp concertos were in almost every concert. It's a good disk, and I know you like harp...

[SonicMan46]

Dave, yeah, it was $13 at Presto, and I was getting a few others so the shipping was negligible. Lubimov is really very good on this, as I expected, and Olga was a pleasant new discovery.

I figured someone had mentioned those trios, I just happened to listen to them the other night so they were on my mind.

This isn't an exclusive Dussek disk, but I got it for the Krumpholz as well. These are works that were played at Haydn's London concerts, where harp concertos were in almost every concert. It's a good disk, and I know you like harp...

Thanks Gurn for the Presto suggestion - have not order from them in years, SO took a look and ended up putting 9 items in my cart, nearly all 'on sale' - list below w/ prices; I've been wanting more Röntgen Symphonies and also to complete my Pleyel Prussian Quartets - Amazon wanted $17 each for those 5 CDs (YES, was Prime - the shipping average from the UK to me was $1.80/item, so a good savings in my mind); ordered the Dussek Brilliant V.5 + the one you recommended; finally, decided to try the 3-CD Hummel set on fortepiano (the Italian guy w/ the long name - ) - happy w/ the purchase.  Dave

Dussek: Concerto For Two Pianos & Chamber Works - $13.00
Dussek: Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 5 - $8.50
J L Dussek: Piano Concertos Opp 3, 14 & 49 - $14.25
Hummel: Complete Piano Sonatas - $11.75
Röntgen: Symphonies Nos. 5, 6 & 19 - $11.50
Röntgen: Symphony No. 18 - $11.50 - $11.50
Röntgen: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 15 - $11.50
Pleyel: Prussian Quartets 1-3 - $9.25
Pleyel: Prussian Quartets Nos. 4-6 - $9.25

[Gurn Blanston]

Thanks Gurn for the Presto suggestion - have not order from them in years, SO took a look and ended up putting 9 items in my cart, nearly all 'on sale' - list below w/ prices; I've been wanting more Röntgen Symphonies and also to complete my Pleyel Prussian Quartets - Amazon wanted $17 each for those 5 CDs (YES, was Prime - the shipping average from the UK to me was $1.80/item, so a good savings in my mind); ordered the Dussek Brilliant V.5 + the one you recommended; finally, decided to try the 3-CD Hummel set on fortepiano (the Italian guy w/ the long name - ) - happy w/ the purchase.  Dave

That's a nice list. I have that Mastroprimiano/Hummel, you should like it, esp. if you liked his Clementi. I actually had a complete cycle on fortepiano, but it was by, like, 3 different players!    I really need to get vol 4 & 5 of that Brilliant set. When they have those singles like that, a lot of times they are only available for a very short time and then go OOP for good. Sad...