Haydn's Haus

[jlaurson]

Haydn Dean

The Haydn/Mozart/Vanhal/Ditters Quartet...standing on the street corner (left click to enlarge).




Sarge

And normally what follows is a touch-up or two from Sarge. Followed by another touch-up or two from Jens. 

I can't mess with perfection.

[SonicMan46]

The Haydn/Mozart/Vanhal/Ditters Quartet...standing on the street corner (left click to enlarge).

Hi Sarge - that is just amazing!  NOW, what program(s) did you use to put that image together?  I've been scarce on the forum for a month because Susan & I are transitioning over to Apple (I have a new MacBook Pro & just got her a new iMac - Dell is OUT for us) - SO, I need to find some Apple related imaging programs - thus, curious about what you may be using - thanks for suggestions - Dave

[Sergeant Rock]

Hi Sarge - that is just amazing!  NOW, what program(s) did you use to put that image together?

Hey, Dave. I still use an ancient version of Photoshop (Photoshop 6) which was released in 2000. I acquired my copy in 2001. Two problems with getting a current version of PS today: it's insanely expensive now and soon Adobe is going to a subscription system where you won't own the software but merely rent it for $30 or $50 a month.

I don't have experience with any recent graphics programs; can't recommend anything. I tried Photoshop Elements seven or eight years ago but found it didn't meet my needs. It might be much improved today.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Well, Sarge, that Wild Quartet is a big hit; 19 of my friends on Facebook (most of them, people actually known to me ; ) have Liked your effort!

Thread Duty:

It is high time I organized the folders for the pieno sonatas properly; Gurn has armed me with a list which makes sense of the numeration . . . we shall see if the day grants to me a few minutes of peaceful Haydn organization . . . .

[Sergeant Rock]

Well, Sarge, that Wild Quartet is a big hit; 19 of my friends on Facebook (most of them, people actually known to me ; ) have Liked your effort!

Finally!...my well-earned 15 minutes of fame 

Sarge

[SonicMan46]

Hey, Dave. I still use an ancient version of Photoshop (Photoshop 6) which was released in 2000. I acquired my copy in 2001. Two problems with getting a current version of PS today: it's insanely expensive now and soon Adobe is going to a subscription system where you won't own the software but merely rent it for $30 or $50 a month.

I don't have experience with any recent graphics programs; can't recommend anything. I tried Photoshop Elements seven or eight years ago but found it didn't meet my needs. It might be much improved today.

Thanks Sarge - I used Photoshop at work before retirement (of course, bought for me on a multi-license agreement) - but no way that I was going to pay for the program on my home PC.

BUT, as of last week, we've transitioned over to Apple, and I purchased a program called Pixelmator (only $15) which seems similar to Photoshop and has gotten great reviews (new version just released) - plan to start playing w/ the app this week (in anticipation of scanning in a LOT of family photos and old travel slides) - screenshot below from my laptop - has the usual wide selection of dialog boxes, showing are 'Tools', 'Layers', & 'Brushes' - seems that this should serve my needs (and have been able to place on the laptop & the iMac).  Dave

[Opus106]

Thanks Sarge - I used Photoshop at work before retirement (of course, bought for me on a multi-license agreement) - but no way that I was going to pay for the program on my home PC.

Dave, if you want a program that's a bit more flexible and has more options that a standard photo manager/editor, but at the same time not want anything too Adobe-specific, you can use GIMP. And it costs $15 less than the Mac program too.

[TheGSMoeller]

Thought the Haus Mates would appreciate this.

This is the Northern Illinois University Trombone Choir with Faculty trombonist Jeremy Moeller (big dude in the middle, with a familiar last name  ) performing an arrangement of Vollendet ist das große Werk (Achieved is the Glorious Work)  from Haydn's The Creation.


http://www.youtube.com/v/GOOnAF_bNZE

[Gurn Blanston]

Thought the Haus Mates would appreciate this.

This is the Northern Illinois University Trombone Choir with Faculty trombonist Jeremy Moeller (big dude in the middle, with a familiar last name  ) performing an arrangement of Vollendet ist das große Werk (Achieved is the Glorious Work)  from Haydn's The Creation.


http://www.youtube.com/v/GOOnAF_bNZE

Very nice, Greg. Historically, the trombone was reserved for use in sacred music in order to double the voices because it sounds so much in the range and tenor of the human voice. You can hear the blending there very nicely, I must say. But then, I'vce always been a sucker for sackbutts. I even married one once....

[Karl Henning]

Thought the Haus Mates would appreciate this.

This is the Northern Illinois University Trombone Choir with Faculty trombonist Jeremy Moeller (big dude in the middle, with a familiar last name  ) performing an arrangement of Vollendet ist das große Werk (Achieved is the Glorious Work)  from Haydn's The Creation.


http://www.youtube.com/v/GOOnAF_bNZE

[kishnevi]

Currently listening to the Aeolians playing Op 50

It strikes me that people (in general,  not referring to das Haus) people pay attention to Opp. 20 and 33, and to the later quartets (Op. 64 and up), but what might be called the "middle quartets" between seem to slip through the cracks.   Which is completely unfair to the middle quartets.

[TheGSMoeller]

Currently listening to the Aeolians playing Op 50

It strikes me that people (in general,  not referring to das Haus) people pay attention to Opp. 20 and 33, and to the later quartets (Op. 64 and up), but what might be called the "middle quartets" between seem to slip through the cracks.   Which is completely unfair to the middle quartets.

I don't ever leave home without Op. 54, especially no.2 in C.

[Karl Henning]

Very nice, Greg. Historically, the trombone was reserved for use in sacred music in order to double the voices because it sounds so much in the range and tenor of the human voice.

Just wanted to say (without at all contesting your observation here, O Gurn, which is sound) how seldom one reads the phrase The trombone was reserved.

[TheGSMoeller]

Just wanted to say (without at all contesting your observation here, O Gurn, which is sound) how seldom one reads the phrase The trombone was reserved.

Nor do trombonists want to be reserved. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Came across these performances of Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1, movement III. Interested to know the Haus Mates opinions on these two and perhaps which one they prefer.


http://www.youtube.com/v/ArOX-AGVMGM http://www.youtube.com/v/NBpekNr-rcI

[SonicMan46]

Dave, if you want a program that's a bit more flexible and has more options that a standard photo manager/editor, but at the same time not want anything too Adobe-specific, you can use GIMP. And it costs $15 less than the Mac program too.

Hi Navneeth - yep, I've used GIMP occasionally in the past (when I had that Ubuntu distro on an old laptop) and was rather frustrated (despite the price advantage! ), i.e. steep learning curve (never reached the top) for the casual user.  Also, I now belong to several Mac forums and have read numerous posts in which Pixelmator is stated to much easier to use (and also probably not as feature laden) - plan to give the app a try this week - Dave

[George]

Now enjoying a gift from my girlfriend (which I picked out), anyone else have this set?

This jolly set from Naxos unites for the first time, I believe, all of Haydn's surviving concertos. While the level of inspiration here isn't as consistently high as it is in the symphonies, string quartets or choral works, there's still plenty to enjoy and the performances show these works to the best advantage.

Listeners can be assured at the outset that the old favourites are in safe hands here. The Trumpet Concerto positively gleams in the hands of Jürgen Schuster whose lightly virtuosic playing contrasts well with the martial work of the orchestra. Likewise, the D major Cello concerto (no. 2) is graceful and refined under the bow of Maria Kliegel, the gorgeous slow movement coming across with special beauty. Lest anyone think that Haydn was only capable of conveying one emotion in his concerto writing, Kliegel then throws herself into the swinging rondo finale of No. 4. She shows us a much more vigorous side to Haydn in the C major concerto, while being just as seductive in its slow movement.

The three violin concertos are superbly played here, and each has something special to recommend it, be it the total stillness of the orchestra in the slow movement of No. 1, the contre-danse refinement of No. 2 or the busy working out of No. 3. The horn concerto No. 1 is perhaps a little less substantial and more forgettable, but it has a lovely slow movement which ranges most effectively over the horn's full range. The stand-out work of the first three discs, however, is the Double Concerto for violin and fortepiano. This, Haydn's only work in this form, is a real delight, an intimate, chamber-like piece which touches on what domestic music-making must have been like in the Esterhaza palace. Furthermore, it was in this work that I first noticed the orchestra's lack of vibrato. That, combined with the use of the fortepiano, made this a much more "period"-sounding work.

The piano concertos on disc four are more familiar fare and all sound absolutely splendid here. The D major, in particular, has an especially exciting feel to the outer movements, while the F major has a profoundly beautiful slow movement. It is especially good to have these keyboard works played on a piano rather than a harpsichord. True, Haydn is no Mozart when it comes to writing concertos, but this disc alone would be enough to convince anyone that he is capable of strokes of genius. Just listen to the profound minor key slow movement of the G major concerto (Hob 9) to get a sense of that. The keyboard concertos that are played by harpsichord and organ I found less convincing. I've never been the harpsichord's biggest fan, and I heard nothing here to change my mind. Especially in concertos, the instrument sounds too spindly and is easily subsumed into the orchestral picture. The same problem is there with the organ concertos, where there is insufficient contrast between soloist and orchestra, with too much blend in the slow movements in particular. Still, those with different tastes to me may find them charming.

The most curious disc is the last, featuring Haydn's surviving concertos for pairs of lire organizzante. This instrument seems to have been close to the hurdy-gurdy and the concertos were commissioned by King Ferdinand IV of Naples, who played the instrument with his teacher. Pairs of wind instruments take the lire organizzante's role here, and it's a bit of a shame that we couldn't have had at least one play-through with the genuine article, if one still exists. Still, the flutes, oboes and recorders fill in nicely and the concertos on this disc sound notably different to the rest of the set. These works are more like divertimenti and there is, again, a tendency for the instruments to blend into the orchestral sound. Here, however, Haydn gets over this by incorporating them from the very start of the music: no exposition repeat with the soloist elaborating on what has gone before. I found these works curious but attractive, especially the busy No. 5 and No. 1 which has a poignant, almost operatic adagio inserted into its fast finale, a lovely touch.

Every soloist is top-notch here, but the main stars are the Cologne Chamber Orchestra who have the full measure of this varied set of music. They play with martial swagger when required, as in the trumpet concerto, but refine themselves down to almost one-to-a-part when necessary, as in the Double Concerto. They play on modern instruments but with many period inflections, directed ably by Helmut Müller-Brühl, a specialist in this field.

Naxos are really spoiling us with the Haydn anniversary. This is a great set, worthy to set alongside their surveys of the symphonies, piano sonatas and string quartets. Anyone curious about this area of Haydn's work can invest with confidence.

Simon Thompson

Read more: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Apr09/Haydn_complete_concertos_8506019.htm#ixzz2TSCfFRuM

[kishnevi]

Now enjoying a gift from my girlfriend (which I picked out), anyone else have this set?

I've had it for several years, and it's a nice compendium, although not all the performances are first class.  My especial favorite from the set is the CD of violin concertos with Augustin Hadelich.

[George]

I've had it for several years, and it's a nice compendium, although not all the performances are first class.  My especial favorite from the set is the CD of violin concertos with Augustin Hadelich.

Thanks, Jeffrey!! Would you call them close to first class? I find the first two CDs delightful. Even my girlfriend remarked this morning that she liked it.

[kishnevi]

Thanks, Jeffrey!! Would you call them close to first class? I find the first two CDs delightful. Even my girlfriend remarked this morning that she liked it.

The Hadelich is first class, and the lire organizzata CD is also excellent.  Kliegel has too much competition to be termed firstclass, but considered in isolation she gives a fine performance.  The others vary on a piece by piece basis;  I remember being least impressed by the keyboard concertos, and most impressed by the trumpet concerto.