Haydn's Haus

[Elgarian]

No lie. I have bounced that movement off more than one classical fan and left them agape.

I believe you!

Onto the Finale now, and my dear friends, there are moments of pure Jerry Lee Lewis here. Beghin is crouching on top of his stool as he plays parts of this, right? Great Balls of Fire!

[Elgarian]

Well for Pete's sake. This alone was worth buying the box for. And for my mere £27 spent, I have most of CD 12 and 11 other CDs still to listen to, right? And a DVD to watch?

Not to mention the free chocolates and the two-week cruise for two.*


* I exaggerated a bit about the chocolates and the cruise.

[Karl Henning]

D'you know, Alan, I don't think it much of an exaggeration to say that the E^b sonata alone merits the cost of the box.

[Elgarian]

D'you know, Alan, I don't think it much of an exaggeration to say that the E^b sonata alone merits the cost of the box.

True words and solemn, Karl. As anyone buying the box in the hope of finding free chocolates will discover.

[springrite]

D'you know, Alan, I don't think it much of an exaggeration to say that the E^b sonata alone merits the cost of the box.

Is it recycled paper?

[Elgarian]

Is it recycled paper?

It's an authentic reconstruction of the kind of CD box that Haydn and his patrons would have used.

[Gurn Blanston]

D'you know, Alan, I don't think it much of an exaggeration to say that the E^b sonata alone merits the cost of the box.

And do you notice? That sonata is in there twice, once on an English pianoforte such as Janzen would have played it on, and again on a Viennese fortepiano such as it would have been played on upon his return home. Different sounding, ain't they? 

[Gurn Blanston]

It's an authentic reconstruction of the kind of CD box that Haydn and his patrons would have used.

I've got a DVD of its construction, actually, right from the logging through the mulching....

[Leon]

And do you notice? That sonata is in there twice, once on an English pianoforte such as Janzen would have played it on, and again on a Viennese fortepiano such as it would have been played on upon his return home. Different sounding, ain't they? 

Ah, I had not noticed that and was a bit confused when I sampled the performance from D12 - the instrument sounded much different than I had remembered from when I first was listening to this box.  I now went back and found the other performance from D11.

Not only is the instrument different but the room is more reverberant.

I think I prefer the D11 one; is that the English keyboard?  I am not at home and do not have access to the booklet.

[Elgarian]

And do you notice? That sonata is in there twice, once on an English pianoforte such as Janzen would have played it on, and again on a Viennese fortepiano such as it would have been played on upon his return home.

So it is! But the delights and mysteries of CD 11 must wait for another occasion.

[Karl Henning]

And do you notice? That sonata is in there twice [...]

I had not noticed! Très cool, as I was immediately thinking I should like a second "view" of the E^b sonata. In fact (shield yer eyes, Gurn), I was wondering if Marc-André Hamelin has recorded the piece . . . .

[Leo K.]

I had not noticed! Très cool, as I was immediately thinking I should like a second "view" of the E^b sonata. In fact (shield yer eyes, Gurn), I was wondering if Marc-André Hamelin has recorded the piece . . . .

I love Alfred Brendel's Haydn  Brendel's rendering leaves me breathless.


Indeed, Haydn's sonatas were a revelation when I first heard them, not that long ago. My first Haydn sonata recordings were with Gilbert Kalish on a set of LPs

[Gurn Blanston]

I had not noticed! Très cool, as I was immediately thinking I should like a second "view" of the E^b sonata. In fact (shield yer eyes, Gurn), I was wondering if Marc-André Hamelin has recorded the piece . . . .

Chances are he did, Karl. That movement is virtually the only one that requires that level of virtuosity, and I can't see Hamelin resisting it. In just reviewing my collection now, I see I have 7 versions on PI, and that I chose Staier for my model. IIRC, I could have easily chosen Brautigam, who is stellar in it. I understand Gary Cooper is very fine too, but I haven't snapped that one up yet.

[kishnevi]

the E flat is on this one, Karl:
[asin]B000N2H832[/asin]. 
Hamelin has done two 2 CD sets of Haydn's music; this is the earlier one, although truth to tell, I think both are worth getting.  (I seem to remember Gurn specifically not liking Hamelin's performances here, however.)
There's also a Virgin 2CD pairing on my shelves of Pletnev playing concertos (CD 1) and solo works (CD 2) of which the E flat is one, and this one by Angela Hewitt, of which the Handel selections are more prominent in my memory

And this one--again the Haydn portion is the one that stands out least in my memory.


That's all of my Haydn on modern piano and the E flat appears in all of them.  (I've got Brautigam and now Beghin for the complete works.)    Judging by how they stand out in my memory (or don't),  I suppose Hamelin is the winner.

[Antoine Marchand]

the E flat is on this one, Karl:
[asin]B000N2H832[/asin]. 
Hamelin has done two 2 CD sets of Haydn's music; this is the earlier one, although truth to tell, I think both are worth getting.  (I seem to remember Gurn specifically not liking Hamelin's performances here, however.)

If that's the case, Gurn is totally right. Hamelin plays some of the most unidiomatic Haydn that I have heard ever. If modern instruments are the thing, Brendel and Schiff are top choices in my book.

[Florestan]

Why not having the best of the two worlds? 

[Elgarian]

Did Little Richard do a version of the finale of that E Flat job?

[Karl Henning]

the E flat is on this one, Karl:
[asin]B000N2H832[/asin]. 
Hamelin has done two 2 CD sets of Haydn's music; this is the earlier one, although truth to tell, I think both are worth getting.  (I seem to remember Gurn specifically not liking Hamelin's performances here, however.)

Groovy. (In spite of Gurn's specifically not liking it, I mean.)

[...] That's all of my Haydn on modern piano and the E flat appears in all of them.

That does not surprise me. Unless a pianist is "in the tank" and at least disposed to dig into Haydn for good (not that there's anything wrong with that . . . .) this sonata is so obviously strong as to take a place in concert repertory.

Hamelin plays some of the most unidiomatic Haydn that I have heard ever.

Now that's got me yet more interested to hear how Hamelin plays it. : )

[Gurn Blanston]

Of course though, in keeping with his personal idiom, Gurn is totally oblivious to what other people like in terms of performance. As long as you get the music, in whatever twisted and demented way it is presented, that's the important thing.   IMO, Hamelin is great in Alkan.

[Karl Henning]

Only one of your amiable qualities, O Gurn, is your live-and-let-live attitude towards your fellow listeners' preferences : )