Haydn's Haus

[Wakefield]

I don't know which CD you heard that invoked such a meh response! It surprises me. Fey's interpretations are unusual, unique: brilliant, intense, fiery, even, at times, over the top. Fey and band polarize opinion. Love 'em or hate 'em seems to be the case here. They aren't a modern instrument orchestra, by the way, but rather a hybrid: modern strings and woodwinds, period brass.

Sarge

Yes, they are a sort of Giardino Armonico playing Classical repertory, on modern instruments, or hybrid instrumentarium, if you prefer.

[Wakefield]

Just ordered:

If you don't succumb to "collectionism" (regarding Goodman, I mean), this would be the path to follow:

[asin]B00005V21E[/asin]

or

[asin]B0002JNR1I[/asin]

or

[asin]B000000SCU[/asin]

or

[Gurn Blanston]

If you don't succumb to "collectionism" (regarding Goodman, I mean), this would be the path to follow:

[asin]B00005V21E[/asin]

or

[asin]B0002JNR1I[/asin]

Both very nice choices. I would recommend the Haselböck, but the Freiburg is nipping its heels...

The only PI version that I lack, I think. Somehow managed to overlook it until very recently. Remedied soon...

[Wakefield]

Both very nice choices. I would recommend the Haselböck, but the Freiburg is nipping its heels...

The only PI version that I lack, I think. Somehow managed to overlook it until very recently. Remedied soon...

Yes, both versions are fantastic. I slightly prefer the Freiburgers, probably because their version is better articulated in a Baroque way.

Regarding Kuijken: it's a recent disc. It was recorded on January, 2012.

[Bogey]

If you don't succumb to "collectionism" (regarding Goodman, I mean), this would be the path to follow:

Excellent idea.    Kind of how I casually collect the Bach cantatas....that is, a bit from here and a bit from there.  My other consideration was forming a subset of symphonies 1-5 on my shelf.  Or, a bunch of number 2's and 3's.  I need to give 4 and 5 a roll today from Fischer. No. 1 was fine, but the Fischer would have been enough.  (However, I am fearful of the how many versions of certain pieces I will want once I hit his chamber music. )

I will also check out Berkshire and of course as some of you here know.the used lp sections of stores in town.

[Bogey]

If you have access to really obscure and totally OOP CD's, you will be able to discover that L'Estro Armonico / Solomons also made a set called "The Morzin Symphonies", which I have some recordings that a friend made from his LP's, but I can't recommend them, no matter their wonderful quality, since I have taken a solemn vow to not recommend things that no one can find anywhere so you don't hunt me down and put a stake through my heart....

More info please.

(Says to self: Amazing what happens when you read what has already been provided and just not look at the pretty cd covers.)

[Gurn Blanston]

If you have access to really obscure and totally OOP CD's, you will be able to discover that L'Estro Armonico / Solomons also made a set called "The Morzin Symphonies", which I have some recordings that a friend made from his LP's, but I can't recommend them, no matter their wonderful quality, since I have taken a solemn vow to not recommend things that no one can find anywhere so you don't hunt me down and put a stake through my heart....

More info please.

(Says to self: Amazing what happens when you read what has already been provided and just not look at the pretty cd covers.)

I likely have the same friend. And the same rationale for not recommending them. None of my recommendations in the Haus have been for disks that can't be had, no matter my level of enjoyment. I think that's just mean. 

[Opus106]

I likely have the same friend. And the same rationale for not recommending them.

Both of them were/are yours.

[Bogey]

I likely have the same friend. And the same rationale for not recommending them. None of my recommendations in the Haus have been for disks that can't be had, no matter my level of enjoyment. I think that's just mean. 

No. No.  I just want to know what they are.  If I am interested after that, then vinyl is available!

[Gurn Blanston]

Both of them were/are yours.

How dare he quote me unattributed like that!   

[Gurn Blanston]

No. No.  I just want to know what they are.  If I am interested after that, then vinyl is available!

You're right, vinyl IS available. I just saw them last week on eBay. I don't do vinyl though, so it doesn't help me. I have Volume 7 & Volume 9 on CD, and so can anyone else have, and so I rec those wholeheartedly. Sony can meanwhile bite my arse.   0:)

[Bogey]

You're right, vinyl IS available. I just saw them last week on eBay. I don't do vinyl though, so it doesn't help me. I have Volume 7 & Volume 9 on CD, and so can anyone else have, and so I rec those wholeheartedly. Sony can meanwhile bite my arse.   0:)

Yes, but what are they?  Why are they called Solomon?

[Gurn Blanston]

Yes, but what are they?  Why are they called Solomon?

L'Estro Armonico / Derek Solomons. A long established band. The original recordings are for CBS Records, which if course Sony ended up with their catalog in the buyout. They were all originally recorded on vinyl, now they can be had (but rarely) as 3 CD's with 2 symphonies each in a box. They went all the way from #1 to ~#65.  I don't know a lot more than that because they are rare.

[Mandryka]

There used to be transfers of 1,37, 18, 2, 15, 4 and 10 on the web -- that's all I've heard of Solomons. Try searching rmcr.

[Bogey]

Just spent the morning in the car with symphonies 4 (2) and 5 (4).

Symphony 4:

I like the "outburst" like feel of the first movement.  This paired with the silent periods (3:06 and 4:57) followed by a charge of music was the highlight.  My only problem with this composition was that the finale was a menuetto.  Made it feel like the last chapter of a who-dunnit mystery was missing.  Was this purposeful?  Was it lost?  Was it ripped up by  a patron or Haydn himself?  Pappa needs a decent conspiracy theory like Mozart (death of) and Beethoven (Immortal Beloved), so I say we start here!

Symphony 5

What was striking here is the opening movement with an adagio.  Kind of cool, but took a second to fall into it.  In fact, the second movement almost seemed like it would work better ahead of the first.  Sommeone number the compositions incorrectly? 

In short, if anyone points out that Haydn's early symphonies all sound the same, they are greatly mistaken.  The first five show this clearly.

Hey Gurn (and others in the know), any audience reactions to these earlier symphonies exist?
 

[Gurn Blanston]

Just spent the morning in the car with symphonies 4 (2) and 5 (4).

Symphony 4:

I like the "outburst" like feel of the first movement.  This paired with the silent periods (3:06 and 4:57) followed by a charge of music was the highlight.  My only problem with this composition was that the finale was a menuetto.  Made it feel like the last chapter of a who-dunnit mystery was missing.  Was this purposeful?  Was it lost?  Was it ripped up by  a patron or Haydn himself?  Pappa needs a decent conspiracy theory like Mozart (death of) and Beethoven (Immortal Beloved), so I say we start here!

Symphony 5

What was striking here is the opening movement with an adagio.  Kind of cool, but took a second to fall into it.  In fact, the second movement almost seemed like it would work better ahead of the first.  Sommeone number the compositions incorrectly? 

In short, if anyone points out that Haydn's early symphonies all sound the same, they are greatly mistaken.  The first five show this clearly.

Hey Gurn (and others in the know), any audience reactions to these earlier symphonies exist?

Bill,
Don't have time to answer all this right now, however, just 2 quick replies;

Ending with a minuet was routine in the 1750's. Not so much with symphonies, but since there were very few standards to apply, it happened. If you look at some of the early keyboard sonatas and trios you will see a high proportion that end with a minuet.

Adagio first movement: this form is called Sonata da Chiesa, or in English, a Church symphony. It is a holdover from late Baroque, and Haydn wrote a lot of them until the 1770's. Listen to #49 in particular, it is a splendid example!

Back to work.....

[Bogey]

Bill,
Don't have time to answer all this right now, however, just 2 quick replies;

Ending with a minuet was routine in the 1750's. Not so much with symphonies, but since there were very few standards to apply, it happened. If you look at some of the early keyboard sonatas and trios you will see a high proportion that end with a minuet.

Adagio first movement: this form is called Sonata da Chiesa, or in English, a Church symphony. It is a holdover from late Baroque, and Haydn wrote a lot of them until the 1770's. Listen to #49 in particular, it is a splendid example!

Back to work.....

I will keep track of my impressions of the symphonies as I roll through them and attach this note to #49.  When I hit it, I will relisten to both.  Thanks!  The audience is just a curiosity.  Let me know what you have when you can including any remarks from Haydn himself.  Lots of fun here thanks to your efforts.

[mc ukrneal]

Gurn - regarding your blog post of the symphonies, did Haydn sometimes put things aside and then take them up later? I would imagine this could really throw a wrench in the works (of ordering them I mean), though not much can be done I suppose. I was just curious, because unless we know for sure when he was working on them (and I assume some of this can be deduced from various sources from the time), there is always some ebb and flow to this type of exercise. And with so many works, it's easy to imagine him starting on something (from an outline in his head to sketching a few ideas), putting it aside (for whatever reason) and then taking it back up at some future date.

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn - regarding your blog post of the symphonies, did Haydn sometimes put things aside and then take them up later? I would imagine this could really throw a wrench in the works (of ordering them I mean), though not much can be done I suppose. I was just curious, because unless we know for sure when he was working on them (and I assume some of this can be deduced from various sources from the time), there is always some ebb and flow to this type of exercise. And with so many works, it's easy to imagine him starting on something (from an outline in his head to sketching a few ideas), putting it aside (for whatever reason) and then taking it back up at some future date.

Hi, Neal,
Well, I have never read a single item that would indicate that Haydn did this. It was the heart of Mozart's work ethic, and more famously, of Beethoven's. Almost no 'sketches' exist of Haydn's, and then, it is late works like The Creation where a few exist. Either he didn't sketch outside his head, or he made a point of not keeping them. I really do believe (without documentation, of course) that his style of composing was such that he sat down and did it from beginning to end (there are scratchouts  and changes in autographs, of course, but that isn't the same thing, is it?).

[Old Listener]

L'Estro Armonico / Derek Solomons. A long established band. The original recordings are for CBS Records, which if course Sony ended up with their catalog in the buyout. They were all originally recorded on vinyl, now they can be had (but rarely) as 3 CD's with 2 symphonies each in a box. They went all the way from #1 to ~#65.  I don't know a lot more than that because they are rare.

Berkshire Record Outlet has a Solomans/L'Estro Armonico CD with #39, 45 and 59 for  $ 4.99 right now.  I highly recommend that purchase.  Great sense of Sturm und Drang style with PI sound that fits the music perfectly.

Another Solomans/L'Estro Armonico CD that is sometimes available has #45 and 48.  The performance of 48 has great PI sound and a very manic feeling.  I'd recommend getting that CD as well even if 45 is a duplicate with the other CD.

Bill