Haydn's Haus

[Bulldog]

Yesterday I was listening to The London Haydn Quartet on Hyperion (2 Cds). An excellent recording of the Op. 9, although Mr. Hurwitz -on Classicstoday- has a very different opinion:

3/8
"It was exciting seeing this new recording of Haydn's Op. 9, the works that the composer felt inaugurated his mature string quartet production, and that have been largely neglected on disc in favor of the Op. 20 set (which represent the first flowing of the fully mature classical style). The London Haydn Quartet specializes in this repertoire and so had a golden opportunity to establish its authority in music that has not been over-recorded to the point of silliness. Beginning the set with Quartet No. 4 in D minor, widely regarded as Haydn's first masterpiece in the medium, offered them the chance to open by putting their best foot forward, while the use of period instruments should have energized music often smoothed over to the point of dullness.

"Unfortunately, the result here is little short of disastrous. This has to be some of the ugliest quartet playing masquerading under the rubric of "authenticity" that you will ever hear. Those elaborate solo parts for Haydn's celebrated concertmaster, Luigi Tomasini, such as we find in the Cantabile largo of No. 5, or the Adagio of No. 1, sound unforgivably thin and emotionally neutered in the hands of principal violin Catherine Manson. I suppose we have to resign ourselves to the current, historically false fad that calls for the near total avoidance of vibrato, but there's no excuse for a basic timbre that sounds like a cross between a perpetual "sul ponticello" and, above the staff, harmonics. Not that the other players are any better; their parts are simply more tolerable because they are lower in pitch.

"Hideous timbre is in any case the least of this group's problems. Just listen to the opening movement of the D minor quartet. Yes, the tempo is marked moderato, but that does not mean "trudge". Nor does it mean "play everything legato, with no rhythmic definition whatsoever". Phrases trail off into nothingness, and Haydn's expressive lines degenerate into an inarticulate mess. The opening movement of Quartet No. 12, at nearly 13 minutes, becomes all but interminable, particularly as the very close engineering captures not just every inexpressive, ugly sound, but plenty of sniffling and ambient noise as well. And all this supposedly from Haydn quartet specialists!

"Happily you can get a fine set of Op. 9 on Brilliant Classics for about 10 dollars featuring the Buchberger Quartet, and if you want period instruments, the Festetics Quartet on Hungaroton makes these folks sound even more clueless than they do when taken in isolation. Please, Hyperion, don't even dream of making this a series".

Here an example:

http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=7218363-0da

I also like the London Haydn Quartet's performances, although I can see how some folks would find them too relaxed.  Hurwitz has a major problem with a lack of vibrato, so I wouldn't put much value on his comments.  Fanfare Magazine praised the recording; MusicWeb had mixed feelings.

[Valentino]

The Hurwitzer always makes me grin.

Just received the Hagen Quartett op. 20 set. This is exiting. After a short listen to no. 4 I think it is fair to call this a set to treasure. Modernism suits this music just fine.

[alkan]

Fey's Haydn symphony cycle seems to be getting good reviews.

Has anyone heard any of these performances?      If so, how would you characterize them?
Do you prefer them to (say) Fischer's cycle on Brilliant, or Dorati, or Harnoncourt, or other interpreters ?

Thanks for any comments

[Herman]

Some people really like Fey's take on Haydn. Personally I think it's terrible.

It's a charicature of Harnoncourt: big "astonishing" sforzandi (as if there's such a thing as suprises in a recorded medium), dominant motoric drive, fast tempi. Harnoncourt also brings out the lyricism in Haydn, but Fey does not have the inherent musicality to do this. His slow mvt in symphony nr 88, for instance, a beautiful piece, is a real let down. I seem to recall our friend M (forever) talking about "sledgehammer" approach, and I would agree.

However, as I said, if you like the foot tapping fast Haydn, maybe Fey is to your taste.

[Bunny]

Fey's Haydn symphony cycle seems to be getting good reviews.

Has anyone heard any of these performances?      If so, how would you characterize them?
Do you prefer them to (say) Fischer's cycle on Brilliant, or Dorati, or Harnoncourt, or other interpreters ?

Thanks for any comments

Check out these reviews at ClassicsToday.  I like Fey's Haydn very much, and apparently, so does David Hurwitz.  The only volume he is less than enthusiastic about is Vol. 6 (Nos. 49, 52,58) and even then he still gives it and 8/9.  For my taste, Fey's Haydn has a very sly sense of humor, as well as being "edgy" and unconventional.  It's not your papa's Haydn.

However, many people don't like being taken out of their comfort zone, especially with warhorses like Haydn's symphonies.  They will find Fey's eccentricities (and Fey does have eccentricities) disconcerting to say the least.  For them, there is still plenty to choose from.

[Que]

BTW which recordings of the string trios are there? Any HIP about?

Meanwhile a new release that must be sheer bliss for Haydn completists!
(click picture)



Q

[Gurn Blanston]

[Quote from: Que on April 12, 2009, 02:18:46 AM]
BTW which recordings of the string trios are there? Any HIP about?
[/quote]

String trio recordings are thin on the ground. There is the excellent (although on modern instruments) 6 disks-so-far by the Vienna Philharmonia Trio:



Despite the modern instruments, I would get this anyway if it comes out in a box set down the road. Or unless something else comes along to top it.

Then I have a single disk that IS on period instruments, it is by Camerata Berolinensis, and although it claims to be "Volume I", it came out in 2004 and I have been awaiting a "Volume II" ever since 



maybe they've been secretly working on the balance of it for Brilliant and it will be the surprise inclusion of Volume II of the Complete Haydn....

[Harry]

Meanwhile a new release that must be sheer bliss for Haydn completists!
(click picture)



Q

Wow, somehow I missed this one......

[Que]

Then I have a single disk that IS on period instruments, it is by Camerata Berolinensis, and although it claims to be "Volume I", it came out in 2004 and I have been awaiting a "Volume II" ever since 

As ever, I'm much obliged!

And after some surfing I can confirm the existence of volume II, issued in Feb. 2007:



Q

[Gurn Blanston]

As ever, I'm much obliged!

And after some surfing I can confirm the existence of volume II, issued in Feb. 2007:



Q

Yep. I just found it too, and was coming back to let you know. Although the release date over here is November 2008, so, not so long ago. I am going to pull the trigger on this one, too.

[Que]

Yep. I just found it too, and was coming back to let you know. Although the release date over here is November 2008, so, not so long ago. I am going to pull the trigger on this one, too.

Well, at this tempo I hope they'll finish the series before my retirement....

How many discs would Haydn's string trios fill?

Q

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, at this tempo I hope they'll finish the series before my retirement....

How many discs would Haydn's string trios fill?

Q

That other set has 6. There are 23 or 24 of them, and these have 5 each so far, so I figured 5 disks. It might be that there are a bunch of little fragments and such, like with the Beaux Arts Piano Trios disks. That added at least 1 disk to the series....

[not edward]

Haydn's currently the number one on my list of composers to revisit, but outside of the string quartets I've thus far been a little hampered by the fact that, for me, Haydn's music absolutely requires good performances to make an impact. (Other composers with more gestural language and more surface allure I find a little more resistant to merely average performances.)

I have the original Fischer recordings of the last twelve symphonies and I've just never been able to get into them. I am guessing the performances are the problem for me--any suggestions? (I don't particularly care whether HIP or no, though I often find older readings of music from this period a bit stodgy and heavyweight.)

[Que]

I have the original Fischer recordings of the last twelve symphonies and I've just never been able to get into them. I am guessing the performances are the problem for me--any suggestions? (I don't particularly care whether HIP or no, though I often find older readings of music from this period a bit stodgy and heavyweight.)

Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Warner & DHM) & Bruno Weil (Sony), also Sigiswald Kuijken (Virgin & DHM) (all HIP)

Plenty of suggestions here: Haydn's Symphonies

Q

[The new erato]

I have the original Fischer recordings of the last twelve symphonies and I've just never been able to get into them. I am guessing the performances are the problem for me--any suggestions? (I don't particularly care whether HIP or no, though I often find older readings of music from this period a bit stodgy and heavyweight.)

They were the earliest recordings of the cycle and I think it is generally considered that they are the least successful, I seem to remember Fischer himself admitting something like that in a Gramophone interview.

[Daverz]

last twelve symphonies [...] any suggestions? (I don't particularly care whether HIP or no, though I often find older readings of music from this period a bit stodgy and heavyweight.)

I'd definitely recommend Brueggen in that case.  HIP, but not aggressive HIP like Fey.  The playing is excellent.  These are live recordings without applause.  Available on two Philips Duos (also released as ArkivCDs) or in a box with the Paris and Sturm und Drang symphonies.  There's also a budget CD available of 94, 96 and 101.

Edit: Arkivmusic offers the Brueggen set as a single box and also offers both volumes of the Philips Duos issues.

[Mandryka]

Check out these reviews at ClassicsToday.  I like Fey's Haydn very much, and apparently, so does David Hurwitz.  The only volume he is less than enthusiastic about is Vol. 6 (Nos. 49, 52,58) and even then he still gives it and 8/9.  For my taste, Fey's Haydn has a very sly sense of humor, as well as being "edgy" and unconventional.  It's not your papa's Haydn.

However, many people don't like being taken out of their comfort zone, especially with warhorses like Haydn's symphonies.  They will find Fey's eccentricities (and Fey does have eccentricities) disconcerting to say the least.  For them, there is still plenty to choose from.

That makes it sound as though I'm an old fuddy duddy for not liking Fey's Haydn. No.

The Fey I've heard is brutal and  agressive and brash. If there is a sense of humour, it's puerile slapstick.

[Herman]

However, many people don't like being taken out of their comfort zone, especially with warhorses like Haydn's symphonies. 

It's a little (what shall I say?) counter-realistic to call Haydn's symphonies "warhorses". I have been going to concerts for thirty years now, and if I have heard three Haydn symphonies it's much.

[Undutchable]

Anybody have the Hogwood/AAM boxes? I managed to get Vols 1 &2 on the cheap and found them quite good, very much in the HIP mould using minimal forces.
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Listening to: Brahms, Johannes - 4. Adagio - Piu Andante - Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Brio

[Lethevich]

The Hogwood recordings are second to none IMO - one the finest HIP cycles that I have so far heard, and its limited availability becomes more ridiculous as time passes. Nice and rugged but also with fine vitality compared to the more elegant Kuijken, metronomic/taut Pinnock, flowing Solomons, haphazard (but exciting) Goodman and the... bizarre Brüggen. Let's hope that it is reissued in a big box at some point, as the Brüggen recordings have been.