Haydn's Haus

[Sergeant Rock]

Boy, they're thin on the ground though, Sarge. I know you don't like the Festetics, and I don't think you would be wild about the Salomon's (even if you could find theirs), which pretty well uses up all the PI choices. How sad is that?

Sad, really sad. And it doesn't look like the London Haydn has recorded them yet. I did listen to the Festetics clips. 54 and 55 are bundled together, two CDs for the price of one at Amazon DE. That's the good news. Unfortunately, I think they sound dreadful. Pity. I sometimes wish I could borrow your ears, Gurn 

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Has anyone heard this quartet's op.55? Meta4

Sarge

[Leon]

Has anyone heard this quartet's op.55? Meta4

Sarge

It is on Spotify and I'm listening right now.

EDIT: Very nicely played - I think on period instruments, played with plenty of character but not exaggeratedly, technically precise, the ensembling is impressive; a nice addition, by a new group, to the rather paltry selections for this opus, especially on PI.

[Uncle Connie]

I enjoyed doing that trumpet concerto essay, hope y'all did too. I would be interested in doing another, maybe something on this list has some appeal for some of you. If so, just point it out.

The oratorio version of "The Seven Last Words"

One of the Notturnos for the King of Naples, in both versions.

Any of the symphonies, especially an early one.

One of the Baryton Octets

The Scherzandos

One of the early divertimentos for string quartet.

These are all some things that I am particularly interested in researching right now. If anyone else is interested, please let me know. Or, if you have another request, something you are curious about, toss it in there too.

I'm doing my own 'thing' at the moment on that Missa cellensis H.XXII.5; some day would enjoy your take, you'll soon enough have mine!

Meanwhile if you want to play with one of the real oddities, how about Symphony 25 - the one and only one that could possibly be someone else's?

Or perhaps the D Major Cello concerto - two lullabies and a nursery tune, to paraphrase Burke - which is also thought by some to be not quite the real deal despite an autograph score.  Did he really write it from scratch, or did he maybe take someone else's outline (Kraft's?) and just touch it up?

Or maybe whatever it is YOU most want to do at the moment, which is likely to be the best. 

[Sergeant Rock]

It is on Spotify and I'm listening right now.

EDIT: Very nicely played - I think on period instruments, played with plenty of character but not exaggeratedly, technically precise, the ensembling is impressive; a nice addition, by a new group, to the rather paltry selections for this opus, especially on PI.

Thanks for the feedback. A used copy was available for 7 Euro. I'll soon hear it myself.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, it seems to be down to either Stürm und Dräng or Baryton divertimentos. I think I'll diverge from concertos for now so I don't wear them out, so I think I'll take on the real challenge; one of the Baryton Octets (or maybe the Quintet). There isn't a lot of ink spilled on those, so research should be interesting.




----------------
Now playing:

Ensemble Agora - Hob 04_08 Trio in C for Flute, Violin & Cello 1st mvmt - Allegro moderato

[kishnevi]

Sad, really sad. And it doesn't look like the London Haydn has recorded them yet. I did listen to the Festetics clips. 54 and 55 are bundled together, two CDs for the price of one at Amazon DE. That's the good news. Unfortunately, I think they sound dreadful. Pity. I sometimes wish I could borrow your ears, Gurn 

Sarge

Not to worry, Sarge.  The Festetics don't sound all that good to me, either--I have them playing Mozart. 
I guess we just need to wait for the London Haydn Qt. to work their way through. 

Meanwhile, broke out the Van Swieten Trio box set of the Piano Trios this evening and have CD 1 playing now (Hob XV: 1, 5, C1 and 37).   Hopefully the rest of the set is as good as this first one.

[Gurn Blanston]

Purchases today:



Always on the lookout for PI quartets, I ran across this one recently and it finally made it to the top of the 'Buy it now' list. Boy, are these guys good! Their choice of repertoire on this disk is a nice blend of early and late, ranging from Op 20#3 to Op 74 #1 and Op 76 #1. The playing is crisp, the tempos are my ideal; brisk but articulate. Also, the recorded sound is superb. I will be getting their other disk in the not too distant.

The other set by the Kuijkens is nowhere near as new, but the style is timeless. I got it to have an alternative recording of the 'London Trios', and it is a fine one. Of interest to those who like to hear attributions and try to figure out why is the presence here of Op 5. This was published in the mid-1760's, a set of 6 Divertimenti a quattro for Traverso, Violin, Viola & Cello. Of the 6, (most likely) the only 2 that originated with Haydn are Hob 2_01 & 11. The original scoring for these 2 was Flute, Oboe, 2 Violins & Basso, so not a big switch to the current. The remaining 4 are.... Haydnesque.   Interesting listening though, I enjoyed them.



And also, I wanted some more takes on the organ concerti. I have been looking at that Haselböck ever since I got this one;


which, as I may have mentioned, is a peach. The Koopman was recommended to me here just a couple of weeks ago and I figured what the hell, I might as well round it out. I haven't listened yet to either of these, but I am considering a history of the works and a survey of available PI disks down the road, so probably a report back then will be in order.

[Gurn Blanston]

Not to worry, Sarge.  The Festetics don't sound all that good to me, either--I have them playing Mozart. 
I guess we just need to wait for the London Haydn Qt. to work their way through. 

Meanwhile, broke out the Van Swieten Trio box set of the Piano Trios this evening and have CD 1 playing now (Hob XV: 1, 5, C1 and 37).   Hopefully the rest of the set is as good as this first one.

IMO, the rest of the set is even better than the disks of the very early ones, which sound better to me on cembalo. The later ones are really good!   

[Mr. Stevens Senior]

The Buchberger quartet, Haydn's string quartets.

[asin]B002F3BQ08[/asin]

I like Haydn, or thought I did.  Sometimes I experience melody and sweentess.  Other times they sound like someone's whacking cats with a broom, screeching and bluegrass-tuning sounds.  It's like eating a hard pear -- you know it's a pear, you remember how good pears are, but this one's not tasting right.  What's my problem?

[Madiel]

HA! 

It just so happens that a few days ago, a bunch of us finished a blind listening to some Haydn string quartet recordings from Opus 50.

The Buchbergers came last. By a long way. So the reason you don't like this is probably because the performances are awful.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

The Buchberger quartet, Haydn's string quartets.



I like Haydn, or thought I did.  Sometimes I experience melody and sweentess.  Other times they sound like someone's whacking cats with a broom, screeching and bluegrass-tuning sounds.  It's like eating a hard pear -- you know it's a pear, you remember how good pears are, but this one's not tasting right.  What's my problem?

I have the first four volumes of the Buchbergers, but stopped buying the rest, for I thought they did not do justice to Haydn, in fact I found them to be boring. So that part I do understand. Haydn's SQ are core repertoire and beyond criticism, but that does not mean you have to like them, maybe is simply not your thing. Try some other interpretations, and if the feeling is still the same, simple lay aside these SQ, and listen to the things you like.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

HA! 

It just so happens that a few days ago, a bunch of us finished a blind listening to some Haydn string quartet recordings from Opus 50.

The Buchbergers came last. By a long way. So the reason you don't like this is probably because the performances are awful.

Not awful, just different, they had some very good critical acclaim when released.

[Madiel]

Not awful, just different, they had some very good critical acclaim when released.

Tell that to all the people who listened to the first movement of Op.50/1.  There was a remarkably universal lack of enjoyment.

I would post the link if I'd figured out how to do that in this forum yet.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Tell that to all the people who listened to the first movement of Op.50/1.  There was a remarkably universal lack of enjoyment.

I would post the link if I'd figured out how to do that in this forum yet.

What I wanted to say my dear friend, that there are also people who like this recording, without me denying that there are people that dislike it. No need to prove that.

[Leon]

Purchases today:



Always on the lookout for PI quartets, I ran across this one recently and it finally made it to the top of the 'Buy it now' list. Boy, are these guys good! Their choice of repertoire on this disk is a nice blend of early and late, ranging from Op 20#3 to Op 74 #1 and Op 76 #1. The playing is crisp, the tempos are my ideal; brisk but articulate. Also, the recorded sound is superb. I will be getting their other disk in the not too distant.

The other set by the Kuijkens is nowhere near as new, but the style is timeless. I got it to have an alternative recording of the 'London Trios', and it is a fine one. Of interest to those who like to hear attributions and try to figure out why is the presence here of Op 5. This was published in the mid-1760's, a set of 6 Divertimenti a quattro for Traverso, Violin, Viola & Cello. Of the 6, (most likely) the only 2 that originated with Haydn are Hob 2_01 & 11. The original scoring for these 2 was Flute, Oboe, 2 Violins & Basso, so not a big switch to the current. The remaining 4 are.... Haydnesque.   Interesting listening though, I enjoyed them.



And also, I wanted some more takes on the organ concerti. I have been looking at that Haselböck ever since I got this one;


which, as I may have mentioned, is a peach. The Koopman was recommended to me here just a couple of weeks ago and I figured what the hell, I might as well round it out. I haven't listened yet to either of these, but I am considering a history of the works and a survey of available PI disks down the road, so probably a report back then will be in order.

Yep, the Amsterdam Quartet is nice find, that makes two new PI quartets doing Haydn this week!  The other one was the Meta4 group.  I hate to keep playing the Spotify card, but all these discs (including Vol. 2 from the Amsterdammers) are there and I have been listening to them with great pleasure.   

That Kuijken disc of works attributed to Haydn is also very nice despite the ragged pedigree.  I think I was the one who recommended the Koopman organ concerto disc.  Although there's just a few of them on that recording, they are played well and I enjoy his work ion general.

[Sergeant Rock]

Other times they sound like someone's whacking cats with a broom...

   

Hurwitz (Classics Today) likened the Buchberger's op.20 to an "all-out cat fight."  Although I generally prefer my Hadyn quartets to be polished and polite, I do enjoy the wildness of the Buchbergers op.20 on occasion (listening to the G minor right now, actually). As a steady diet? No...I value my ears too much    But they're an interesting alternative view. I would think their approach works less well in op.50.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

Yep, the Amsterdam Quartet is nice find, that makes two new PI quartets doing Haydn this week!  The other one was the Meta4 group.  I hate to keep playing the Spotify card, but all these discs (including Vol. 2 from the Amsterdammers) are there and I have been listening to them with great pleasure.   

That Kuijken disc of works attributed to Haydn is also very nice despite the ragged pedigree.  I think I was the one who recommended the Koopman organ concerto disc.  Although there's just a few of them on that recording, they are played well and I enjoy his work ion general.

It certainly is a handy thing to be able to hear these before having to commit to buying them. I always sort of edge up on new (to me) performers for that reason.

Yes, I was pretty sure it was you who rec'd that Koopman, but I wasn't sure and hate making mistakes. But I got it for the same reasons you list. I always liked him too. In addition, that and the Haselböck have only 1 work in common, which is the lovely #2, so I didn't feel heavily that I was buying the same thing twice.

[jlaurson]

Has anyone heard this quartet's op.55? Meta4

Sarge

Ah, too late, I see. Not that they're bad at all. But on the same label as the Minetti Quartet, released shortly after their Haydn, I had hoped for more, yet.

[DavidW]

I'm with Sarge, their fast tempo makes them performances that you have to be in the mood to like... but sometimes I am and I really like them on those days.  Whacking cats with a broom makes my day though!