Haydn's Haus

[Gurn Blanston]

While I was ordering the Fitzwilliam, I realized that I don't have this one neither:

http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Seven-Words-Christ-Cross/dp/B003H5L6Y4

... and any recording sponsored by Jaap Schröder is an instant recommendation to me.

I have seen that disk, but could see nothing about it, so I didn't do anything further about it. So, it is gut strings, Classical bows etc?  That would be splendid, I was thinking about another SQ version! 

[Wakefield]

Yes, totally PI.

Unfortunately, I haven't found any source to listen to some excerpts (not even jpc!); but I'm confident because I have two excellent Schubert disks by them. 

[Wakefield]

.[asin]B00KH6JLFM[/asin]

BTW, I finished the first listen of the keyboard works played by Bobby Mitchell on Alpha.

It's one of the most delightful recordings of this music that I have listened to the last time.

This kid takes a lot of (risky) decisions, but all of them work out superbly and his 1775 Stein is just gorgeous.

A must-have, IMHO. 



   

[Gurn Blanston]

Yes, totally PI.

Unfortunately, I haven't found any source to listen to some excerpts (not even jpc!); but I'm confident because I have two excellent Schubert disks by them. 

Well, I did some looking around and pulled the trigger on it. Schubert, eh? Interesting. He was a bigtime copier of Haydn. 0:)

[Gurn Blanston]

.[asin]B00KH6JLFM[/asin]

BTW, I finished the first listen of the keyboard works played by Bobby Mitchell on Alpha.

It's one of the most delightful recordings of these music that I have listened to the last time.

This kid takes a lot of (risky) decisions, but all of them work out superbly and his 1775 Stein is just gorgeous.

A must-have, IMHO. 

Absolutely. I got it the day it was released, have enjoyed it several times since. Yes, he is brave, and I also like the way he ties everything together with chromatic bridge passages of his own device. This is extremely authentic and enjoyable.

[Wakefield]

Absolutely. I got it the day it was released, have enjoyed it several times since. Yes, he is brave, and I also like the way he ties everything together with chromatic bridge passages of his own device. This is extremely authentic and enjoyable.

Yes! He knows how to take full advantage of the wonderful palette of colors of this Stein. Many times I almost cried out: No, Timmy, that's too risky, almost Romantic! But he always succeed...   

[Gurn Blanston]

We have talked about the impending release of this disk a few times here, I finally got it today:



Portrait of an Extraordinary Musical Dog by Phillip Reinagle (1805)

If you love the sound of the fortepiano, this is a must-have! Mitchell (he is a 'new talent award winner') is a very fine player indeed, and the selection of music is a fine blend too. He takes 2 sonatas from the 'Dedicated to the Prince' set of 1774, the F and the Eb (Hob 23 & 28), the C major Hob 48, then the Adagio & Variations in F 17:9 and the one in f 17:6. In between each of them he plays a very short chromatic interlude beginning in the key of the previous and ending in the key of the new work. So, F to Eb - Eb to C - C to F and then just dropping down to f minor for the finale. The entire thing is a non-stop 76 minutes. The fortepiano sound is great, but you have to like fortepianos, you can't be concentrating on 'shit, I would love to hear this on a Steinway' or some such thing. It wouldn't work on one anyway, plus the variety of tonal colors of this instrument is fabulous, and he gets them all out. I'm delighted! 

Here is the simple thing I wrote about it on Day 1. I still find it very recommendable.

[Wakefield]

Here is the simple thing I wrote about it on Day 1. I still find it very recommendable.

I hadn't seen this message, but it's amazingly similar to the opinion I have written now. Of course, [mine is] less eloquent and informed, but centrally quite similar, even identical. You're such smart guy! 

[Gurn Blanston]

I hadn't seen this message, but it's amazingly similar to the opinion I have written now. Of course, [mine is] less eloquent and informed, but centrally quite similar, even identical. You're such smart guy! 

You are far too humble, sir. Mine is just mumbo-jumbo compared to...

[Wakefield]

You are far too humble, sir. Mine is just mumbo-jumbo compared to...

While I was listening to, I had constantly this image in mind: Haydn alone, without other people in the room, playing this music for himself... without any kind of shyness. 

[Gurn Blanston]

While I was listening to, I had constantly this image in mind: Haydn alone, without other people in the room, playing this music for himself... without any kind of shyness.

I always have that picture when I listen to clavichord realizations. It is not what one usually thinks of, I think, but is probably closer to reality than the view with audience.

[Wakefield]

I always have that picture when I listen to clavichord realizations. It is not what one usually thinks of, I think, but is probably closer to reality than the view with audience.

I couldn't be more in agreement... I think "intimacy" is the proper word.

[Gurn Blanston]

I couldn't be more in agreement... I think "intimacy" is the proper word.

Precisely so. You remember, Haydn told Dies how he composed, all his life, he would sit down at the Klavier every morning and extemporize until he found something which appealed to him, and then he would develop it into a full-blown composition. A perfect playing of one of his works should feel to me as being freshly past this stage, right after they come out of the oven, so to speak. Hard to beat a clavichord for that, but a really good harpsichord or fortepiano can do it.  0:)

[Wakefield]

Precisely so. You remember, Haydn told Dies how he composed, all his life, he would sit down at the Klavier every morning and extemporize until he found something which appealed to him, and then he would develop it into a full-blown composition. A perfect playing of one of his works should feel to me as being freshly past this stage, right after they come out of the oven, so to speak. Hard to beat a clavichord for that, but a really good harpsichord or fortepiano can do it.  0:)

Well, that is it: some people think Pi are some kind of fetishism, without understanding that HIP is about hermeneutics: to understand the language of human beings from two or three hundred years ago and to reestablish it to its original conditions in order to understand properly its message (the famous message in the bottle). Of course, our knowledge about those historical conditions is poor and usually presumptive, but it shouldn't prevent us to try of removing the patina. I think. 

[Gurn Blanston]

It's a shame, really, that certain works get the greatest share of acclaim, while others, quite, if not equally, interesting, are virtually unheard. The 2 symphonies of 1780 seem to fall into that category, and for reasons I haven't quite tumbled to yet. You can find out more about them if you would like:

All's quiet on the home front

Thanks!

[Sergeant Rock]

All's quiet on the home front

Always a pleasure to read your latest blog entry while listening to the music.

Edit: 62 is utterly delightful! It was one of the last Haydn symphonies I acquired and it's always a fresh listen, as though for the first time.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

Always a pleasure to read your latest blog entry while listening to the music.

Edit: 62 is utterly delightful! It was one of the last Haydn symphonies I acquired and it's always a fresh listen, as though for the first time.

Sarge

Thanks, Sarge, I really appreciate that.   As for #62, I have to tell you, I've had it for a long time, but apparently I never really listened closely to it before. It is sort of unprepossessing, so to speak. But really,it is an excellent work, but on the quieter side. It is easy to understand why it didn't get votes in the 'Top 15' poll, only because I think a lot of people have just never listened to it! 

[Old Listener]

Thanks, Sarge, I really appreciate that.   As for #62, I have to tell you, I've had it for a long time, but apparently I never really listened closely to it before. It is sort of unprepossessing, so to speak. But really,it is an excellent work, but on the quieter side. It is easy to understand why it didn't get votes in the 'Top 15' poll, only because I think a lot of people have just never listened to it! 

i don't think a top 15 makes much sense for haydn symphonies.  top 40 is better and top 60 is even more sensible.

[Gurn Blanston]

i don't think a top 15 makes much sense for Haydn symphonies.  top 40 is better and top 60 is even more sensible.

Yes, well I tried to do it, but dismally failed. Changed my mind an hour later, and again an hour after that. But you know, you try to play the game.

[Jo498]

We could do a a top 15 where, say 82-88 and 92-104 are not eligible, because it is silently presumed they would be top 35 anyway.