New fan...Narrowing on what I like

[Don]

Although I enjoy making lists, I have to admit that they constitute a useless exercise.  But wasting time is one of my favorite activities.

[jochanaan]

My admiration of Dittersdorf is supported by Harry but "laughed at" by many others.

Well, I'm not laughing.  I confess I used to think that, with 120 symphonies and many other pieces in his output, he just churned them out like Model T's--until I actually heard one.

[71 dB]

Well, I'm not laughing.  I confess I used to think that, with 120 symphonies and many other pieces in his output, he just churned them out like Model T's--until I actually heard one.

So Haydn would be laughed at too if people had not heard his 104 symphonies and many other pieces? 

Franz Joseph Haydn von Haydnesdorf. 

[Haffner]

So Haydn would be laughed at too if people had not heard his 104 symphonies and many other pieces? 

No. Once Mozart and the rest of Vienna heard op.20, Joseph Haydn was confirmed a Master (in fact, I imagine that most connosieurs saw him at the time as both having usurped J.C. Bach's at-the-time predominance, and rivalled much of J.S.'s overall output). There was no turning back after such a devastatingly advanced work.

[71 dB]

No. Once Mozart and the rest of Vienna heard op.20, Joseph Haydn was confirmed a Master (in fact, I imagine that most connosieurs saw him at the time as both having usurped J.C. Bach's at-the-time predominance, and rivalled much of J.S.'s overall output). There was no turning back after such a devastatingly advanced work.

Op. 64 is the only String Quartets by Haydn I have heard (and have on CD). What is so devastatingly advanced about op. 20?

[Haffner]

Op. 64 is the only String Quartets by Haydn I have heard (and have on CD). What is so devastatingly advanced about op. 20?

Poju, you have to be kidding. Op.20 spawned the decidely lesser String Quartets of Mozart and LvB's op. 18 to such a degree...Haydn's mastery was completely evident throughout this set; right down to the multiple, seeming effortlessly written fugues dotted all over the work. That you don't have this kind of amazes me.

[71 dB]

Poju, you have to be kidding. Op.20 spawned the decidely lesser String Quartets of Mozart and LvB's op. 18 to such a degree...Haydn's mastery was completely evident throughout this set; right down to the multiple, seeming effortlessly written fugues dotted all over the work. That you don't have this kind of amazes me.

I haven't studied much timelines about who wrote what and when. People always say Op. 76 rules. I like Beethoven's string quartets more than Mozart's and Mozart's more that Haydn's Op. 64.

[Haffner]

I haven't studied much timelines about who wrote what and when. People always say Op. 76 rules. I like Beethoven's string quartets more than Mozart's and Mozart's more that Haydn's Op. 64.

op. 76 might very well be Papa's masterpiece. But again, Poju, I would feel like less of a friend if I didn't strongly reccomend both the Quatuor Mosaiques rendition of op.20 and op.76. Mozart never wrote a better string quartet, and Beethoven only started doing so with op. 59 in my opinion.

[71 dB]

op. 76 might very well be Papa's masterpiece. But again, Poju, I would feel like less of a friend if I didn't strongly reccomend both the Quatuor Mosaiques rendition of op.20 and op.76. Mozart never wrote a better string quartet, and Beethoven only started doing so with op. 59 in my opinion.

Thanks Haffner! I'll add those to my wishlist.

Yes, Beethoven's Op. 18 is just the beginning but already nice. "Harp" Op. 74 is the first really good one imo. I just love how well Beethoven's musical language suites for string quartet. Something bothers me in Haydn's Op. 64 and that's why I haven't explored his other string quartets yet.

[Haffner]

Thanks Haffner! I'll add those to my wishlist.

Yes, Beethoven's Op. 18 is just the beginning but already nice. "Harp" Op. 74 is the first really good one imo. I just love how well Beethoven's musical language suites for string quartet. Something bothers me in Haydn's Op. 64 and that's why I haven't explored his other string quartets yet.

Op. 64 takes several listens, it definitely grows on you in a big way. But opps.20 and 76 are startlingly great, I don't think you'll regret the purchase, Poju.

The "Harp" is a masterpiece, of course for LvB. I really love the Vegh rendition.

[71 dB]

Op. 64 takes several listens, it definitely grows on you in a big way. But opps.20 and 76 are startlingly great, I don't think you'll regret the purchase, Poju.

The "Harp" is a masterpiece, of course for LvB. I really love the Vegh rendition.

I have had Op. 64 for many many years. It has not grown much on me. I am little annoyed by it's non-serious nature. Difficult to explain but sometimes Haydn "disrespects fundamental principles of art". Don't get me wrong, it's good chamber music but I prefer Beethoven's mature seriousness and Mozart's prodigal concentration on beauty. Anyway, I am interested to try Opp. 20 & 76.

I have Kodály Quartet's Beehoven (9 Naxos discs). I am very satisfied with them. The sound quality and stereo images on these discs are very enjoyable and using DTS:Neo 6 multichannel re-matrixation gives heavenly sound! 

[Haffner]

I have Kodály Quartet's Beehoven (9 Naxos discs). I am very satisfied with them. The sound quality and stereo images on these discs are very enjoyable and using DTS:Neo 6 multichannel re-matrixation gives heavenly sound! 

I'm interested in that set now, as the Kodaly Haydn SQs are perhaps the best non-HiP performance of those works.

As to the idea of taking Haydn seriously, Haydn (like Mozart, though preceeding him) was a stunning master of subtlety. Even in what might to be his most "lighthearted" works, he often includes many more "grave" emotions.  It's involves listening to the non-obvious (non-leading) instruments. You'll hear it. It can certainly take patience at times, but op.64 is absolutely not bereft of what you term "serious emotions". It's the mark of the high magnitude of Haydn's SQs that he can be so subtle, and obviously Mozart and Beethoven learned alot from that approach.

Haydn's SQs are often splendid for "backround music", but upon closer inspection the profound compositional aspects show through quite well. I started listening to them in a very uninvolved way. When I took to wearing headphones ("innocently" and without forehand intentions to hear serious variables in the music) I was so stunned I ended up preferring the SQs with headphones as a rule.

[Mark G. Simon]

From Haydn's op. 20, be sure to check out no. 5 in F minor, which is particularly intense in expression. The fugal finale is noteworthy.