Haydn's Haus

[Gurn Blanston]

Oh, dear DarkAngel IMO the string quartet version of The Seven Last Words is very interesting. I have five different recordings of that work and only two complete Op. 17.  

P.S.: Six... I forgot the Buchberger Quartet.

Antoine,
Well, both your question about 7 last words and DarkAngel's about Op 17 catch me in a bad way. I only have one version currently of 7 last.... and that is the Kodaly's, and I don't like it. It seems weightless. On Que's recommendation, I am going to hunt down the Terpsychore's version, but it requires going to Europe for, so I haven't done it yet. I would be curious to know YOUR favorite version, since you seem to have plenty from which to choose!

DA, you may (or not) know that I am not so much a version collector as a 'complete works' sort of collector. So if I have a version that I really like, I simply stop looking for another and move on to a different work. In the case of Op 17, I started out with the Kodaly's, liked the music but found the version didn't satisfy my sense of PI/HIP aesthetic, and got the Festetics. I was totally satisfied with that, and so I don't have any other version to compare. I am totally no fun at this game...

[Gurn Blanston]

OK I see what you mean..........
For just over 2x the price of the 21 CD Baryton boxset you can get the huge 150 CD Haydn Brilliant set which includes the Baryton set 

Yes, plus all that other stuff (the van Sweiten Trios, complete keyboard sonatas, most SQ's, complete symphonies &c, &c, &c.) Seems like the more prudent buy, somehow, unless you already have all that other stuff...

[DarkAngel]

That Haydn Edition 150 CD boxset by Brilliant Classics is only $140 at Amazon USA...............

But I already have the Fischer symphonies, Buchberger string quartets and Van Swieten piano trios included in that set, so too late for me I am afraid. I am intertested in Baryton Trios........but 21 Cds maybe overkill

[Gurn Blanston]

Most of the works are in A, D, or G major. And no minor scale works -- these were clearly meant for dinner music.

Well, after dinner music. There actually are a few works in the minor (one in b minor that I remember well, and a few others), but mainly yes, those 3 major scales. Of course, it goes without saying that the tuning of the strings in the back is the limiting factor, yes? In order to play in another key, one would have to retune those 9 (or more) strings...

Anyway, not so much dinner music. The Prince himself played them with Haydn and Kraft, so they were clearly intended to be serious music, to whatever level of capability that the Prince attained. They do get progressively more difficult...

[Gurn Blanston]

That Haydn Edition 150 CD boxset by Brilliant Classics is only $140 at Amazon USA...............

But I already have the Fischer symphonies, Buchberger string quartets and Van Swieten piano trios included in that set, so too late for me I am afraid. I am intertested in Baryton Trios........but 21 Cds maybe overkill

Well, I don't think they sold them as single disks. Which would have been a nice thing, but not the Brilliant way...

[DavidW]

That Haydn Edition 150 CD boxset by Brilliant Classics is only $140 at Amazon USA...............

But I already have the Fischer symphonies, Buchberger string quartets and Van Swieten piano trios included in that set, so too late for me I am afraid. I am intertested in Baryton Trios........but 21 Cds maybe overkill

All you miss out on are some of the masses, oratorios, songs and solo keyboard music of which you probably already have better recordings of anyway.

If you want a single baryton trio cd look for the old Hsu recordings.  Well the one I used to have is pricey and OOP so why not this one--

[Gurn Blanston]

All you miss out on are some of the masses, oratorios, songs and solo keyboard music of which you probably already have better recordings of anyway.

If you want a single baryton trio cd look for the old Hsu recordings.  Well the one I used to have is pricey and OOP so why not this one--

Oh, that's a good one, I enjoy it much! And these 2:



That's all the trios I have right now, although there are a coupe more disks out there by others. There is quite a bit of duplication once you get beyond these 3.

[Franco]

I like The Amadeus Quartet in the Op. 51.

I just checked out some disks from my local library of various SQ doing Haydn:

Emerson - The Haydn Project: Not to my taste.  The playing is impeccable but seems not to capture the spirit of Haydn and leaves me cold.

Takacs - Opp. 76/1-2 & 103: Very nice, something I will expand on with other recordings if they exist (Edit: not much else out there, a recording of Op. 33, but sadly no more Haydn).  I like the sound of this quartet in this music, hits me in the gut.

Kodaly - Op. 77/1-3 - Okay, a middle of the road recording, IMO.

[Opus106]

Well, after dinner music. There actually are a few works in the minor (one in b minor that I remember well, and a few others), but mainly yes, those 3 major scales. Of course, it goes without saying that the tuning of the strings in the back is the limiting factor, yes? In order to play in another key, one would have to retune those 9 (or more) strings...

Anyway, not so much dinner music. The Prince himself played them with Haydn and Kraft, so they were clearly intended to be serious music, to whatever level of capability that the Prince attained. They do get progressively more difficult...

My bad, I must've missed the B minor one.



P.S.: Everybody: stop tempting me with the Haydn box!

[Gurn Blanston]

P.S.: Everybody: stop tempting me with the Haydn box!

Aw, c'mon, Navneeth, you know you want it...

[Franco]

If I didn't already have the same Adam Fischer Symphony set, and a two complete cycles and several individual CDs of the string quartets (I'm going to look for more from the Takacs after hearing their Opp. 76/103) and keyboard sonatas (I think the set by a female keyboardist that starts on harpsichord and ends up on fortepiano, can't think of her name - Sorenestorn or something like that ); I'd be sorely tempted as well.  

But, I'll no doubt get some of the baryton works at some point just to hear that contraption, and definitely the Masses, probably the Trinity Choir set just released.  I'll expand my Piano Trio BAT set with some period instrument recordings and see how I like those before jumping in with the Van Sweeten or Trio 1790- but that may eventually be a done deal too.

Haydn is among my top three (Bach and Stravinsky are the other two), so, there's no such thing as too much.

[Opus106]

Aw, c'mon, Navneeth, you know you want it...

Yes, I do. In fact, I've been putting off buying the individual boxes like ones with the piano trios and the symphonies waiting for a good price on the big box.

[Gurn Blanston]

Yes, I do. In fact, I've been putting off buying the individual boxes like ones with the piano trios and the symphonies waiting for a good price on the big box.

I could have written that myself, with the exception that i already had the symphonies before Brilliant even bought the rights from Nimbus.... but rumors of a Big Box kept me from the trios and sonatas back from the time they were released.

[jlaurson]

Indeed. Their CDs should come with a sweater. 

Don't much like their "Haydn Project" for the same reasons (where's the wit???)-- but their 7 Last Words recording is curiously excellent!

[SonicMan46]

Don't much like their "Haydn Project" for the same reasons (where's the wit???)-- but their 7 Last Words recording is curiously excellent!

Well, I'd certainly agree w/ Jens - I own two SQ versions of this work, i.e. Emerson SQ & Tatrai Quartet - I've not done any 'back to back' comparisons, but the latter has been in my collection for years.

Now, Haydn wrote 4 different versions of this work - orchestra, string quartet, keyboard, and choral piece (modified) - I have the choral work below which is a knockout! Scott Morrison summarizes his thoughts on this disc HERE, if interested? 

[jlaurson]

Well, I'd certainly agree w/ Jens - I own two SQ versions of this work, i.e. Emerson SQ & Tatrai Quartet - I've not done any 'back to back' comparisons, but the latter has been in my collection for years.

Now, Haydn wrote 4 different versions of this work

btw. the post(s) on the 7 Last Words Gurn referred to is here: http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=593.
One of my more intricate attempts (as regards form, if perhaps not content).



Haydn 2009 – The Seven Last Words




(also: http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=347)

[Gurn Blanston]

Now, Haydn wrote 4 different versions of this work - orchestra, string quartet, keyboard, and choral piece (modified)

Just being a picky bastard because that's the way I am, so sue me. Haydn didn't actually do the keyboard version himself. Its arranger is unknown, very likely a friend of Artaria. Haydn did, in fact, not only enthuse over the score, but also did the corrections on it for the final release, likely as a favor for Artaria and to make a shekel or two on the transaction.

[SonicMan46]

btw. the post(s) on the 7 Last Words Gurn referred to is here: http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=593.
One of my more intricate attempts (as regards form, if perhaps not content)............

Jens - thanks for the link - just finished reading your excellent reviews on these different versions of the 7LWs - think that I'll need to refine & expand my collection of these versions!     Dave

[jlaurson]

Jens - thanks for the link - just finished reading your excellent reviews on these different versions of the 7LWs - think that I'll need to refine & expand my collection of these versions!     Dave

Or, as a very good friend of mine replied to that post:

I'm sure God will forgive you for promoting one of Haydn's most boring pieces, clearly intended to drive people away from Christianity.

Come to think about it... it is a little boring, ain't it. 

[SonicMan46]

Or, as a very good friend of mine replied to that post:
Come to think about it... it is a little boring, ain't it. 

Well, I've culled out a number of previous SQ recordings over the years, and rarely pop it into my CD player - 

But, I must listen to that choral version again soon! - Dave