Haydn's Haus

[Gurn Blanston]

I'm surprised that he finds his audience to be humorless when the humor is built around shock value that we no longer have.  When we can listen to dissonant, atonal, arrhythmic music with a smile on our face, the zany antics of Haydn seem tepid in comparison.  I love Haydn's music, he is my favorite composer but his humor is dated.

So basically you're saying that anything that requires knowledge and and some element of subtlety is a non-starter then, yes?

Seems a shame...

[Que]

Continuing "Haydn 2009"

Haydn 2009 - Harmoniemesse

Why don't you mention the Weil Haydn masses box set? (It's also available at the US Amazon)



Q

[DavidW]

So basically you're saying that anything that requires knowledge and and some element of subtlety is a non-starter then, yes?

Seems a shame...

No shock value gags are not subtle!  It's like the silly scares in lame horror movies, you quickly learn them and while kids might fling their popcorn in the air, adults just roll their eyes.  You need to build upon things besides cheap shocks to leave a lasting impression.

[Opus106]

Perfectly apt, David. Bravo!

Yes, I'll agree with David to some extent. The Wow-factor may have faded away, but looking back we can still appreciate Haydn's 'experiments.'

And moreover I never understand humour when it involves jumping from E-flat to E. In such cases someone needs to explain to me the explanation! Actually, I've come across this term humour many times in the past with regard to classical compositions, and I think it's some form of music-geek humour, but subtler than those about violas and their players.

Having said that, I must thank Gurn for posting the link. It was an entertaining and, in some respects, enlightening read.


P.S.: The Mahlerites on board could take cue from the latter part of the first paragraph.

[Gurn Blanston]

No shock value gags are not subtle!  It's like the silly scares in lame horror movies, you quickly learn them and while kids might fling their popcorn in the air, adults just roll their eyes.  You need to build upon things besides cheap shocks to leave a lasting impression.

But the shock value is merely of ancillary interest compared to the bigger picture, which is doing the unexpected for musical reasons rather than for "shock" reasons. Any time that Haydn goes off on some sort of unexpected tangent, he uses the most interesting devices to get back to the "right" place. Even I can hear it, and I am an admitted ignoramus in such matters. Is it geeky? Sure. But the later composers that you mention don't worry themselves about the manipulation of things back to the expected norm, they just (after Schubert) don't bother coming home again.

[SonicMan46]

Wow, those are cool looking! I know they sound great too, because I have the album, but bought it as a download, so I have none of the supporting info. Sonic needs to look at these, he is an avid fan of old instruments (and reproductions). Thanks, AM,

Antoine & Gurn - must have just 'blown by' that page in the thread on the Lire organizzate - I've heard of that instrument, and might even have some recordings, but can't recall @ the moment - yes, the 18th into the early 19th centuries was the 'golden ages' of instrument inventions & novelties of all sorts.  Will definitely add that disc to my 'wish list', i.e. if still available!    Dave

[jlaurson]

Why don't you mention the Weil Haydn masses box set? (It's also available at the US Amazon)



Q

Continuing "Haydn 2009"

Haydn 2009 - Harmoniemesse

1.) I wasn't counting on Haydn & Record collecting ueber-Geeks* to keep a watchful eye for possible omissions. Clearly my foolish mistake.  

2.) I ran out of space along the vertical line. (When viewed on high monitor resolutions and with small font-sizes.)

3.) I'm like that.

4.) Sony never sent me the complete set. So there!  

5.) Nice linkage.


*This is offered in an endearing spirit... No offense meant

[karlhenning]

1.) I wasn't counting on Haydn & Record collecting ueber-Geeks* to keep a watchful eye for possible omissions. Clearly my foolish mistake. 

*This is offered in an endearing spirit... No offense meant

GMG is exactly the place to expect ueber-Geeks!  One of the charms of the place.

[snyprrr]

Op.33/1,2 & 4- Lindsays:

I haven't heard 1,2, or 5 for a long time. I just returned the Kodaly/3,4,6, but I still have No.4 in mind.

Again, as with Op.64/2, also in b minor, Op.33/1 left me "under-b-minor-whelmed." It seems that part of the "classical" era "thing" was to stay away from anything resembling a "sad" sound (and yes, I know this makes me sound like an ignoramous). All I can say is that that appears to be the case, for the most part, after the Sturm und Drang period. And it's not that I'm looking for something that's not there, it's just that I like truth in advertising... ok, I'll saved my gripes for another thread.

Other than that, the Lindsays appear to do a bang up job. But HOW can the Lindsays dispatch the b minor Finale in 5:06, and the Terpsychordes take almost 12mins.? How many repeats are there? I certainly don't think the Terpsychordes could be playing the thing at half-speed. Anyhow...

Op.33/2 "The Joke," also, left me under-whelmed (oh, I know I'm going to get excoriated for saying things like that). All I'm saying is that as soon as I've heard another SQ, I don't remember anything special about this one (I had to play that ending "Joke" a couple of times before I got it: it goes by so quickly, but yes, it is "cute").

Op.33/4 is the only one here that I had a compare (Kodaly), and from the first snappy notes I could tell that the Lindsays were playing this with more snap than the Kodaly. The Finale was particularly impressive in its zippy, percolating speed. I think the Lindsays have become my go to in some of these:

A) I'm not all that too aware of Peter Cropper's "crimes," and

B) They always seem to do things that are different and interesting.

Oh, and the prices so far have been milk money!

I'm listening to No.4 again, and this thing whizzes by in 17:40. I don't remember the Kodaly leaving me with that impression. I am looking forward to getting the Lindsays' other Op.33 (with the SQs I actually like, Nos. 3 & 6).

At first, Op.33 appeared as if it were going to kill me with boredom, but the opening of No.3, "The Bird," caught me, and then the slow mvmt. of No.6 whacked me over the head (can't wait to here the Lindsays here). I knew the b minor from before (that it wasn't "really" minor key), so I didn't have any expectations (but sooomething must have happened between the great minor keys of Op.20 and here).

I'm expecting Op.64/4-6 tomorrow (PILZ), which then leaves Op.50 (Nomos) and Op.55 (Lindsays, unless you know better). I do sometimes feel like I'm slogging through Haydn here... so much of it does seem businesslike to me, with a certain ho-hum factor, but here and there there are great nuggets (slow mvmt. of 33/6, the "witches menuet" (76/2), Op.77, etc.). But, for someone who "loathes" the classical era, I must say that I'm making progress! ;DHa!!!

Boy, I do tend to write long posts, don't I?

[DavidW]

You might want to slow down and really absorb a single string quartet before you proceed to the next dozen or so.  It took me a months, or perhaps it was a full year, to come to terms with Haydn's String Quartets.  There is alot of amazing music there, but they can't be fully appreciated at lightning speeds.

[Bulldog]

You might want to slow down and really absorb a single string quartet before you proceed to the next dozen or so.  It took me a months, or perhaps it was a full year, to come to terms with Haydn's String Quartets.  There is alot of amazing music there, but they can't be fully appreciated at lightning speeds.

That's why snyprrr keeps close tabs on tempos and timings.

[Valentino]

A listening impressions blog is fine. The feedback can be illuminating.

No blog, no lumen.  0:)

[Herman]

A listening impressions blog is fine.

Oh, is that what this is.

It just doesn't make any sense to me.

[Valentino]

I think I'd get this book. If it has similar qualities to The Beethoven Quartet Companion it should be most illuminating.

[The new erato]

I think I'd get this book. If it has similar qualities to The Beethoven Quartet Companion it should be most illuminating.

At 110 USD for 392 pages it'd rather be good.

[Herman]

At 110 USD for 392 pages it'd rather be good.

the paperback is thirty dollars.

However Haydn's quartets can be enjoyed without any study material; it does help, though, if you're not constantly worrying about what you should post about what you're hearing, and what other options there are (and their timings!).

[Que]

1.) I wasn't counting on Haydn & Record collecting ueber-Geeks* to keep a watchful eye for possible omissions. Clearly my foolish mistake. 

2.) I ran out of space along the vertical line. (When viewed on high monitor resolutions and with small font-sizes.)

3.) I'm like that.

4.) Sony never sent me the complete set. So there! 

5.) Nice linkage.


*This is offered in an endearing spirit... No offense meant

Well, I can understand your admiration for the Weil performance - amazing clarity, enhanced by the boys' choir, crisp rhythmic approach, nicely pointed playing and above all: inspired. Everyone should buy it! (And try Weil's Schubert masses with the Tölzer as well)

And I consider the term "Haydn Über-Geek" as a badge of honour that 'll wear with pride. In fact, I promised Gurn to celebrate in appropriate fashion at the nearest opportunity.

Q

[jlaurson]

Well, I can understand your admiration for the Weil performance - amazing clarity, enhanced by the boys' choir, crisp rhythmic approach, nicely pointed playing and above all: inspired. Everyone should buy it! (And try Weil's Schubert masses with the Tölzer as well)

I am inclined to try anything choral with Weil, now. I just don't know what you mean by clarity. Performance-wise? Because as regards the recorded sound, a light bit of hazy distance is the only criticism I have of that CD.

And I consider the term "Haydn Über-Geek" as a badge of honour that 'll wear with pride. In fact, I promised Gurn to celebrate in appropriate fashion at the nearest opportunity.

As well you should. On both counts.

[jlaurson]

A listening impressions blog is fine. The feedback can be illuminating.

No blog, no lumen.  0:)

More BTUs than lumen, most of the time, but essentially: yes.

[snyprrr]

Real Men of Genius would understand!