Haydn's Haus

[Gurn Blanston]

I expect most of you don't know that I spent much of February in hospital, and it has taken me a while to be able to read and write again. But the subject of this essay was too compelling to ignore for longer, and my long overdue look at the Kaiserlied is now published. Hope you enjoy it.

our immortal countryman Haydn

Thanks,

[Florestan]

I expect most of you don't know that I spent much of February in hospital, and it has taken me a while to be able to read and write again.

OmG! I wish you a speedy recovery and all the best, my friend!

[Gurn Blanston]

OmG! I wish you a speedy recovery and all the best, my friend!

Thanks. Feeling better every day, especially now that I can read and sit at my computer longer than 10 minutes again!

[Karl Henning]

Keep a-mending, O Gurn!

[Gurn Blanston]

Keep a-mending, O Gurn!

Roger that, Doc...

[Baron Scarpia]

I was aware of your long hospitalization, but I did not know your recovery has been so difficult. All the best, and to avoid stress, don't watch the news. I'll keep an eye on things for you and send a PM if the time comes to run down into the bunker. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks. Feeling better every day, especially now that I can read and sit at my computer longer than 10 minutes again!

Gute Besserung, Gurn!

Sarge

[HIPster]

Thanks. Feeling better every day, especially now that I can read and sit at my computer longer than 10 minutes again!

Glad you are feeling better, Gurn! 

[Gurn Blanston]

I was aware of your long hospitalization, but I did not know your recovery has been so difficult. All the best, and to avoid stress, don't watch the news. I'll keep an eye on things for you and send a PM if the time comes to run down into the bunker. 

  Thanks, nothing is more depressing than the news, I must say. Mustn't have a major setback at this point, so nice of you to take the hit for me.

Gute Besserung, Gurn!

Sarge

Vielen Dank, Sarge!

Glad you are feeling better, Gurn! 

Thank you. For me personally, there is no more serious blow than not being able to sit still and read. Sure glad THAT's over with!  0:)

[Madiel]

But the subject of this essay was too compelling to ignore for longer, and my long overdue look at the Kaiserlied is now published. Hope you enjoy it.

our immortal countryman Haydn

Thanks,

Not to ignore the circumstances, but I really enjoyed the essay. I didn't know that Haydn himself was so fond of the tune.

[Gurn Blanston]

Not to ignore the circumstances, but I really enjoyed the essay. I didn't know that Haydn himself was so fond of the tune.

Thanks!  I had remembered reading things here and there about it, but it wasn't until I started to look them up that I realized there were so many. I left out the biggest one for a later time, but it is even more compelling.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Is Haydn ill served by such a conglomerate orchestral arrangement -- or well served? I say: This is much better than any lamely performed Haydn symphony in toto performed at the beginning of a concert.


Classical CD Of The Week: An Imaginary Orchestral Journey With Haydn And The LSO

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenslaurson/2018/03/14/classical-cd-of-the-week-an-imaginary-orchestral-journey-with-haydn-and-the-lso/#1079b6b277d6

[Karl Henning]

Every lamely performed Haydn symphony to open a concert – as a warmup, not quite taken seriously[1] – is a greater offense to the master than this amiable, well-intentioned in-concert sampler.

When you're right, you're right. 

[Jo498]

But these two do not exhaust the options. There is also the option of a well-played complete symphony and I don't really see why a sampler should be preferable to the latter or what purpose the sampler should serve in the first place. I understand a disc of highlights from a 3 (or 15) hour opera as "teaser". But who would hesitate to try a disc with three complete Haydn symphonies and rather try a sampler first?

[SurprisedByBeauty]

But these two do not exhaust the options. There is also the option of a well-played complete symphony and I don't really see why a sampler should be preferable to the latter or what purpose the sampler should serve in the first place. I understand a disc of highlights from a 3 (or 15) hour opera as "teaser". But who would hesitate to try a disc with three complete Haydn symphonies and rather try a sampler first?

The disc in question, although I do call it that, isn't really a 'sampler'. It's, well... a journey across Haydn. And it doesn't preclude proper Haydn concerts from being done. (Though there are very, very, very few done well. I'm on a constant mission with every conductor and administrator I speak, to get well-done Haydn concerts onto programs -- with Haydn played last. But it's a slog even for those in power... much less for someone commenting from the sidelines.)

All I wanted to point out is that this 'sampler', this concert (which is what it was), is a BETTER approach than that what we usually get, when we get Haydn. I didn't mean to suggest that it wasn't worse than something ideal.

[Gurn Blanston]

I wouldn't discourage anyone from it, hopefully it is new music to some and they will be attracted by what they hear. It isn't for me, but that's OK; anyone who gets to hear something 'new' by Haydn will have his/her day improved immeasurably!   

[Jo498]

AFAIK Rattle recorded 4 discs with Haydn symphonies, two with the Birmingham (60/70/90, 22/102/86), two with the Berlin orchestra (88-92, Concertante). I have 3 of them and probably would have bought the 4th if I did not have already lots of Haydn. If Rattle had done another 1 or 2 discs with an interesting mix that not only included very frequently performed pieces, there would have been a decent chance that I purchased such a disc. There is zero chance that I purchase an "Imaginary Journey". And I am still not sure who would buy such a thing.

Another option would have been to do the chaos, earthquake, musical clocks and the ouverture in addition to two complete symphonies, say Farewell and another lesser known one. I might have bought such a disc.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

AFAIK Rattle recorded 4 discs with Haydn symphonies, two with the Birmingham (60/70/90, 22/102/86), two with the Berlin orchestra (88-92, Concertante). I have 3 of them and probably would have bought the 4th if I did not have already lots of Haydn. If Rattle had done another 1 or 2 discs with an interesting mix that not only included very frequently performed pieces, there would have been a decent chance that I purchased such a disc. There is zero chance that I purchase an "Imaginary Journey". And I am still not sure who would buy such a thing.

Another option would have been to do the chaos, earthquake, musical clocks and the ouverture in addition to two complete symphonies, say Farewell and another lesser known one. I might have bought such a disc.

It lacks obvious appeal to Haydn-fans like us. I was quite surprised what a joyously-light and entertaining affair it turned out to be but wouldn't have been move, like you, have likely bought it, either.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

More Haydn. Happy Easter Weekend, everyone.


Music For Easter: Joseph Haydn's Seven Last Words

The Different Versions & Recommended Recordings
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenslaurson/2018/03/30/music-for-easter-joseph-haydns-seven-last-words/#1bf638e435db

[calyptorhynchus]

I was casting my eye of the Hoboken catalogue recently and I had two questions about concertos:

1. The Flute Concerto Hob.VIIf:1, is it thought to be genuine? If so, why don't we hear it more? It's a very pretty piece.
2. The Cello Concerto Hob.VIIb:g1, is this lost or spurious? There don't seem to be any recordings of it.