Haydn's Haus

[Sergeant Rock]

Hey Sarge have you listened to Wagner's Ring in one sitting?

No, never. I'm a Wagner HIPster...it was meant for four days and that's the way I listen to it 

Sarge

[Brahmsian]

Well you used the word uninterrupted.  For the other case, yes I have.  And others have as well.  I listened to the Fischer box over the course of a month.  A cd or two a day.

My bad, David.     My choice of words was misleading.

[AnthonyAthletic]

I am not a huge Ring Cycle fan as it took me ages to sit down and give it a go.  I did Tristan, Tannhauser, Maestersingers before the Ring.  Not heard any other Wagner operas bar those three and the Ring itself.

I have on cd, Keilberth '55 Bayreuth & Levine's Met Cycle (super duper Canadian bargain) but took me individual days to listen to them.  Not consecutive nights but more like a week or two.

I do have Barenboim's "Laser Effect Ring" on DVD with Tomlinson, Jerusalem & Evans and I did watch this in two complete setting one Saturday/Sunday.  The birds were singing by the time the 900 minutes were up. 

Its something I couldn't manage again...one at a time, next time....however great.

[Karl Henning]

This is exactly the place to confess such a thing, but . . . while I enjoyed all of it, I haven't even listened to all of Parsifal at once.

[Gurn Blanston]

Do you have a favorite year(s)?

Interesting idea; I've thought of doing this - but have put it off due to the amount of retagging of the tracks, not to mention the frustrating lack of information for most of the works prior to 1766.

Retagging isn't that bad, actually, I put the appropriate music into a folder names 17xx, then I open just that folder in MP3Tag, and change the Album name to "17xx". If you were consistent when you tagged them originally, then they will be in order by Hoboken number and you can call it done. Even when I have to revise the dating due to learning something new, It is very simple to do this way.

If you read my blog, you will discover some pretty thoroughly researched composition dates. When I couldn't be precise and had to assign a date, I give the reason for it. Which you can take or leave, of course.

There are many years that I like a lot, 1786 and 1788 are two. 1792 and 1794 are another pair. But I don't discount 1756 & 1758 by any means. I am very fond of the early works and they are well represented here.

1772.... hell, I like them all for one reason or another.

[Gurn Blanston]

I did not know about MP3Tag - and was put off by the manual tagging.   I will download the software and see if I can get it going with my library.

Thanks.

Also, I'll check out your blog.

MP3Tag, is the greatest little bit of freeware for people like me/us. If you are proficient at copy and paste, you can do an entire 'album' of 12 tracks or so in less than 5 minutes. Treats FLAC exactly like MP3.

Consistency may be the hobgoblin of small minds, but it is a vitally important part of tagging. Every single Haydn track I own (well over 10,000) is tagged exactly the same format. It really helps!

That would be super. Link is in my sig.

[DavidW]

I have on cd, Keilberth '55 Bayreuth & Levine's Met Cycle (super duper Canadian bargain) but took me individual days to listen to them.  Not consecutive nights but more like a week or two.

I first watched the Ring on vhs, I would check out one volume per week.  Took me a month to see it.  I think it was Levine Met but I might be mistaken.

[kishnevi]

Bach, Beethoven and Haydn are the three composers I can listen to for several hours at a stretch.  The other night,  I finished off the Hogwood symphonies box by listening to the last three CDs in a row.  But normally I'm like Sarge--I need variety:  for instance, this morning/afternoon, before I go to work later on,  I've listened to Bach (Cantatas for Solo Bass, from Koopman),  Berwald (two symphonies),  and now it's Mozart's turn (Martin Frost in the Clarinet Concerto and Kegelstatt Trio);  if there's enough time to squeeze it in before I leave,  Mozart will be followed by Thelonious Monk.

And Wagner?  It's hard enough for me to get my schedule open enough to listen to one whole opera from the Ring, never mind all of them together! 

[mszczuj]

I made continuous listening of Dorati's set when I approached it, but I'm not quite sure if it was without any interruptions. But I can't imagine what could be so interesting for me then

[Brahmsian]

Have listened to Disc 35 and Disc 22 of DRD set.

Disc 35

Symphony No. 100 in G major "Militarsinfonie"
Symphony No. 102 in B flat major

Disc 22

Symphony No. 66 in B flat major
Symphony No. 67 in F major (love the Adagio e cantibile passage in the final movement) 
Symphony No. 69 in C major "Laudon"

Man, I am amazed that I keep 'expecting' some of the symphonies to sound alike, but that just ain't happening.     Each one unique and authentic.

I'm having so much fun having Haydn in my Haus! 

[Gurn Blanston]

Have listened to Disc 35 and Disc 22 of DRD set.

Disc 35

Symphony No. 100 in G major "Militarsinfonie"
Symphony No. 102 in B flat major

Disc 22

Symphony No. 66 in B flat major
Symphony No. 67 in F major (love the Adagio e cantibile passage in the final movement) 
Symphony No. 69 in C major "Laudon"

Man, I am amazed that I keep 'expecting' some of the symphonies to sound alike, but that just ain't happening.     Each one unique and authentic.

I'm having so much fun having Haydn in my Haus! 

Ah, you've hit on one of my Top 5, #100. His last four symphonies in G major (88, 92, 94 & 100)  are all in my Top 10. Something about the key of G just brought out all the little devils in the man and he seemed even more inspired than usual.

Yes, you will look in vain for repetition in the symphonies themselves, although if you had the facility to listen to Concerto #3 in G (Hob 7h:3) for 2 Lira organnizate, you would find that the second movement 'Romanze' is exactly the same music as the famous Allegretto, except lacking the 'Turkish Instruments'. Haydn was never one to waste a good piece of music if the opportunity arose to reuse it in a creative way!  When this was being played in London back in 1793-95,  audiences went absolutely wild over that movement. Of course, it didn't need explanation that it was military music; they were (always) at war so it rang true all the way. 

I would listen to that one twice,. I always do, so did the Londoners.

[TheGSMoeller]

Which "Military" recording is your favorite, Gurn?

I just noticed I have Bruggen doing 100 and 104 on disc, been a while since I've listened to it.

[Gurn Blanston]

Which "Military" recording is your favorite, Gurn?

I just noticed I have Bruggen doing 100 and 104 on disc, been a while since I've listened to it.

Well, the one I have in my master set is Minkowski, the only one of that box that made it to the final cut. They flat play the hell out of it, just the way I like it. Probably my second favorite is Norrington. Brüggen, Kuijken & Hogwood are all chasing right up behind, but none match Minkowski for the excitement in the performance, maybe because it is live instead of studio?   



Oh, forgot to mention Goodman on Nimbus (not part of his Hyperion series). That one rocks pretty well too. This is a work that everyone tries their best with, and the competition is pretty fierce!

[TheGSMoeller]

Well, the one I have in my master set is Minkowski, the only one of that box that made it to the final cut. They flat play the hell out of it, just the way I like it. Probably my second favorite is Norrington. Brüggen, Kuijken & Hogwood are all chasing right up behind, but none match Minkowski for the excitement in the performance, maybe because it is live instead of studio?   

The Minkowski is very good, the whole box is in fact. Which Norrington? LCP I'm guessing 

And yes, live always trumps studio.

[Gurn Blanston]

The Minkowski is very good, the whole box is in fact. Which Norrington? LCP I'm guessing 

And yes, live always trumps studio.

This one here;



which also comes in a box of the last 6 symphonies, which I have as 3 separate disks.

Except when you have to deal with applause. I can't remember the Minkowski having any, although if it did I excised it back when I ripped.    0:)

[Brian]

Following Ray's example and listening in a totally random order. First up is #70. Harpsichord is there, but discreet. First movement is fairly soberly paced. This symphony is, of course, proving to be wonderful.

[Brian]

These are the DRD Haydn albums drawn COMPLETELY at random for my drive to Austin and back!

CD 7
#108
#14
#40
#12

CD 12
#38 "Echo"
#58
#35

CD 13
#59 "Fire"
#49 "La passione"
#26 "Lamentatione"

CD 18
#51
#64

CD 31
#91
#92 "Oxford" (yyyyyeeeeeessssss!!!!!!)

CD 34
#97
#99

According to my records, these will be my first ever listens to 35, 38, 58, 59, and all of CD 7. Hmm. My samplings of the Fey cycle must be more varied than I thought if only 8 of the 14 are new to me. #92 is in my all-time top five!

[TheGSMoeller]

These are the DRD Haydn albums drawn COMPLETELY at random for my drive to Austin and back!

CD 13
#49 "La passione"
#26 "Lamentatione"

CD 18
#51
#64

Those are some good ones, Brian. Crazy horn parts in No. 51, and No. 64 Tempora mutantur has recently become one I listen to often.

[Gurn Blanston]

These are the DRD Haydn albums drawn COMPLETELY at random for my drive to Austin and back!

CD 7
#108
#14
#40
#12

CD 12
#38 "Echo"
#58
#35

CD 13
#59 "Fire"
#49 "La passione"
#26 "Lamentatione"

CD 18
#51
#64

CD 31
#91
#92 "Oxford" (yyyyyeeeeeessssss!!!!!!)

CD 34
#97
#99

According to my records, these will be my first ever listens to 35, 38, 58, 59, and all of CD 7. Hmm. My samplings of the Fey cycle must be more varied than I thought if only 8 of the 14 are new to me. #92 is in my all-time top five!

Well, given the subject (Haydn) it is hard to say whether this is your lucky day or not; almost any 5 disks would have yielded equivalent treasure!

While you are reveling in #92, don't overlook #91, an unsung gem of a work.   I know your trip will go smoothly now.

[Mandryka]

Well, the one I have in my master set is Minkowski, the only one of that box that made it to the final cut. They flat play the hell out of it, just the way I like it. Probably my second favorite is Norrington. Brüggen, Kuijken & Hogwood are all chasing right up behind, but none match Minkowski for the excitement in the performance, maybe because it is live instead of studio?   



Oh, forgot to mention Goodman on Nimbus (not part of his Hyperion series). That one rocks pretty well too. This is a work that everyone tries their best with, and the competition is pretty fierce!

You really prefer Norrington's first record to his one with the Stuttgart?

For me this symphony (The Military) is for ever linked to two old performances, Van Beinum and Fricsay. Those were the two Haydn symphony performances which convinced me to take Haydn really seriously as a composer, and to some extent Van Beinum's especially really formed my taste in Haydn - sudden unexpected bursts of intense unpredictable threatening manic energy.

I recall well my excitement when I first discovered this serious angular way to play the music - no more "papa".