Haydn's Haus

[Wakefield]

Well, I have Brendel and McCabe already, this may be a nice addition.

Wait a minute, wait a minute, Mr-that-train-is-gone:

How long have you had that Brendel?

[Karl Henning]

I conspired to play some hobbitish Haydn in the MFA shop this afternoon. Made a couple of my fellow clerks into believers.

[TheGSMoeller]

I conspired to play some hobbitish Haydn in the MFA shop this afternoon. Made a couple of my fellow clerks into believers.

Which recordings, Karl?

[Karl Henning]

Vol. 4, N^os. 34, 39, 40 & 50.

[Sergeant Rock]

I conspired to play some hobbitish Haydn in the MFA shop this afternoon. Made a couple of my fellow clerks into believers.

Excellent 

Sarge

[Leo K.]

I continue to listen to the Goodman Haydn Symphony set, working my way backward. Wow, this is the BEST orchestral Haydn I've ever encountered.

I cry the cycle was not completed.  The sonics, the performances, the timbre of the orchestra, I'm amazed.

[Sergeant Rock]

I continue to listen to the Goodman Haydn Symphony set, working my way backward. Wow, this is the BEST orchestral Haydn I've ever

I agree. Goodman's is the best damn set of Haydn Harpsichord Concertos ever committed to disc 

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

I agree. Goodman's is the best damn set of Haydn Harpsichord Concertos ever committed to disc 

Sarge

Zing! 

It is a good set, great sounding band, and I must say I am in complete awe of their recording of 86, such a passionately driven finale. It would have been nice to hear Goodman and Band do 80 and 98, which are two that The Shire Philharmonic need to pick up on, but that's a rant I recycle too often.

[Florestan]

I came by No 31 with Halstead on Spotify and I'm listening to it right now. Is this a good account of this horn concerto?

If you like it, then it's good; if you don't like it, then it's not good...  Whether Haydn himself would have liked it or not, that's an altogether different matter that nobody alive can settle for good... 

[Gurn Blanston]

There should be a reason behind why I quoted, can you think of something?

as you probably know that is a PI recording, so it is possible no one wants to jump out there....  I think it's excellent, and would buy 2 copies just in case. There are probably some good MI recordings too, I am told Fey is one...

[Sergeant Rock]

I came by No 31 with Halstead on Spotify and I'm listening to it right now. Is this a good account of this horn concerto?

I don't know; I haven't heard it. But in general I like Goodman's Haydn so I would assume this is a decent (at the very least) performance.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

There are probably some good MI recordings too, I am told Fey is one...

Not MI. Hybrid, Gurn, hybrid    Wilhelm  Bruns plays a natural horn.



Sarge

[Wakefield]

as you probably know that is a PI recording, so it is possible no one wants to jump out there....  I think it's excellent, and would buy 2 copies just in case. There are probably some good MI recordings too, I am told Fey is one...

These days Das Haus seems quite MI-oriented, indeed.

[Sergeant Rock]

Yes, he does - and very raucously.

Raucous is good 

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

Not MI. Hybrid, Gurn, hybrid    Wilhelm  Bruns plays a natural horn.



Sarge

Sorry, Sarge, I'm a purist in that regard. I'm not knocking Fey's deal there, since as you know I like them OK, but PI is PI and MI is MI. Hybridism in general makes me shudder. It's good for you though.... the pool, the pond.....

[Gurn Blanston]

I continue to listen to the Goodman Haydn Symphony set, working my way backward. Wow, this is the BEST orchestral Haydn I've ever encountered.

I cry the cycle was not completed.  The sonics, the performances, the timbre of the orchestra, I'm amazed.

Leo,
I think it's super too. The qualitative difference between Goodman and Hogwood is negligible, IMO. despite the difference in philosophy for continuo, there are merits for both of them. I have heard rumors that not everyone agrees with that, but you gotta go with what you like. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Sorry, Sarge, I'm a purist in that regard. I'm not knocking Fey's deal there, since as you know I like them OK, but PI is PI and MI is MI. Hybridism in general makes me shudder. It's good for you though.... the pool, the pond.....

Gurn, if you can honestly hear the difference between period strings and modern strings played in a historically informed manner, you're a better man than me  (A blind listening would be informative, I think.)  I don't hear a significant difference between Goodman's band and Fey's.

It's sad, I think, that you deliberately miss some exciting Haydn playing just because you're hung up on terminology. If it's good music making, it's good music making, whether the instrument was built yesterday or 200 years ago. But fine, maintain your prejudice. I know it works for you and that's all that matters. I'm just glad I appreciate Haydn...no matter what instruments are used or when the recording was made. My bank balance isn't quite so happy 

Sarge

[Mandryka]

Annie, you will get no strong disagreement from me with the thrust of your argument - however, as in all things the devil is in the details.  While it is true that Haydn can successfully be conveyed on MI (I happen to enjoy Dorati's recordings of the symphonies) more often than not, IMO, a MI orchestra and its conductor will use exaggerated interpretative decisions, e.g. the articulation, the tempi, in a effort to put across a HIP sound.

This is my complaint with Mr. Fey.

But, sometimes, the same can be said of actual PI recordings as well.

That's very interesting - can you spell it out a bit, with an example, so I can understand a bit better?

Do we have any idea what is HIP articulation and tempi for Haydn? I mean, do we have any reason to think that  Fey's articulation and tempo choices aren't what Haydn would have expected.

Posting this I can't get out of my heard the unexpected articulation and tempo choices Beghin made for the F minor variations -- I posted the sound file here ages ago. I guess his choices were informed, but I don't know.

My suspicion is that we can infer pretty little about authentic articulation and tempo in Haydn -- but hopefully someone will post to show why I'm being too pessimistic.

[Parsifal]

I notice that when this set is mentioned, it is always with derision.

[asin]B001QBXFTA[/asin]

Of course I had to get it.  (22 discs for $40, why not?)  So far I've only listened to one quartet (Op 76, No 1) but I see nothing to complain of.  Performances are lively, charming and skillful, the recording is rather good (a bit over-bright, but I find the majority of string quartet recordings to bright for my taste).   I'm quite happy so far, and I like it better than the limited samples I've heard of the Angeles quartet.

[Karl Henning]

. . . This is the first Haydn I've gotten in 3 years! The only set I'd like something in is Op.54 (another rare set; I've got the Endellon, very good but I'd like a second opinion).

I'm a fan of the Endellions in the Opp. 54 & 74; I think you may find that the Sarge is, as well.