Haydn's Haus

[Mandryka]

New acquisition arrived yesterday. I should have got it years ago.



This is Leach's second all-Haydn disk. Purists will immediately bristle over the fact that she plays an 1823 English (Stodart) square piano. However, by the time these works were all published and distributed to the general public, it is not nearly as inappropriate as it seems at first blush. It is still just a 5.5 octave keyboard, and the sound is gorgeous!  Leach is an extremely stylish player, very much an artist. Her realizations here are totally fine, even in the 1765 Capriccio, which I generally prefer on the Viennese short octave harpsichord for which it was composed. Nonetheless, this is easily the finest piano realization that I have.

Leach's first all-Haydn revue is here:


The two disks together comprise mainly what are known as the Auenbrugger Sonatas because of their dedication to the sisters of that name. In addition, there is Hob 49, dedicated to Marianne Genzinger, a really fine piece.

The sonatas are listed here:

Hob 16:  20, 23, 34, 35, 36, 37, 49 & 51

In addition there are some very well performed variations and non-sonatas:

Hob 17:  1 & 6 (Un Piccolo Divertimento)

If you are an absolute purist about keyboards, clearly these won't be what you are looking for. But if you are willing to stretch a point, not only do these sound great, but they are a nice selection that show Haydn's artistry as well as the player's.   

I checked out the new Leach when I saw she played Hob xvi/ 36 (No. 49 in C sharp minor) which is a favourite sonata. It was Bavouzet's recording which made me realise what a gem this sonata is.

I'd come across Joanna Leach before when I was exploring Scarlatti recordings.

Re all the discussion about Karajan and Bernstein's Paris symphonies, which I just noticed, if I remember right Bernstein plays the music in a very upbeat way, very reassuring and jolly. While on the Karajan there are more anxiety filled moments. Is that right? It's years since I played them, I recall very much liking what Karajan does.

Re the capriccio, I think it can sound great on piano. There's an absolutely tremendous recording by Zoltan Kocsis. I would have prefered it on a keyboard tuned like Beghin's, but I guess it would be hard to persuade Kocsis to play one of those.

[Que]

Indeed, we keep it burning for such as you, Karl.   0:)

Meanwhile, I've been edging around with 1766. It is an eventful year, unless one is simply rewriting 'Chronicle & Works' one needs to pare down to the essentials!

If you would like to see what I've done there, here it is, steaming fresh! 

1766, a new record for new records

I found your thoughts on the rise and decline of the Esterháza palace very interesting, and eloquently put.

I really need to go there some time!

Q

[Octave]

New acquisition arrived yesterday. I should have got it years ago.

Ah, this is certainly of interest.  Joanna Leach's disc of John Field nocturnes was a highlight to my listening year 2013, and I see that two out of the three square pianos that she plays on that recording are from 1823.  I loved the sound of the Field recording, so these two Haydn discs will be musts for me.

[Sergeant Rock]

It's our home away from home. 

Random list...

Current top 5 favorite/most listened to String Quartets from Papa, and recording of choice...

1) Quartet in F minor, Op. 20 no 5 - London Haydn String Quartet
2) Quartet in D minor, Op. 76 no 2 "Fifths" - The Lindsays
3) Quartet in B minor, Op. 64 no 2 - Buchberger String Quartet
4) Quartet in C major, Op. 54 no 2 - Endellion String Quartet
5) Quartet in F major, Op. 77 no 2 "Lobkowitz" - Edding String Quartet

Only one point of intersection, even when I expand my list to 10. Unusual for us!...but here we're looking at a huge amount of superb works and performances to whittle down to a small (and needless  ) list. Not surprising then that our lists are so different.


op.9/4 D minor - London Haydn String Quartet
op.20/2 C major - Quatuor Mosaiques
op.33/1 B minor - Apponyi Quartett
op.33/2 E flat "Joke"- Apponyi Quartett
op:33/3 C major "Bird" - Apponyi Quartett
op.50/4 F sharp minor - Tokyo Quartet
op.64/3 B flat major - Quatuor Mosaiques
op.74/3 G minor "Rider" - Schuppanzigh Quartett
op.76/2 D minor "Fifths" - Jerusalem Quartet
op.76/3 C major "Kaiser" - Amadeus Quartet
op.77/1 G major - Jerusalem Quartet

[TheGSMoeller]

Only one point of intersection, even when I expand my list to 10. Unusual for us!...but here we're looking at a huge amount of superb works to whittle down to a small (and needless  ) list. Not surprising then that our lists are so different.


op.9/4 D minor - London Haydn String Quartet
op.20/2 C major - Quatuor Mosaiques
op.33/1 B minor - Apponyi Quartett
op.33/2 E flat "Joke"- Apponyi Quartett
op:33/3 C major "Bird" - Apponyi Quartett
op.50/4 F sharp minor - Tokyo Quartet
op.64/3 B flat major - Quatuor Mosaiques
op.74/3 G minor "Rider" - Schuppanzigh Quartett
op.76/2 D minor "Fifths" - Jerusalem Quartet
op.76/3 C major "Kaiser" - Amadeus Quartet
op.77/1 G major - Jerusalem Quartet

I need to listen to Apponyi, I see you post them quite a bit. If I expanded my (needless indeed) list, more than likely "Joke" and "Bird" would be included. Possibly even "Rider" with that fabulous, galloping finale.

[Sergeant Rock]

I need to listen to Apponyi,

The Apponyi's op.33 really is stunning. Yes, try to hear it.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

I could be mistaken, but I think it was that Tokyo recording that I fell head over heels for in a blind listening test, only to discover that it's never been released on a 'proper' CD.

Well, your memory is both right and wrong. I remember you preferring the Tokyo above all (I know, odd thing to remember, but there it is). But the recording was a regular DG 2 disk box. It is OOP and hard to find, however, (and here is your memory) it is always available on Arkiv as one of their reprints.

[Gurn Blanston]

I found your thoughts on the rise and decline of the Esterháza palace very interesting, and eloquently put.

I really need to go there some time!

Q

Thanks, Q. I found the whole topic to be quite fascinating. It sort of reached out and touched me. If I could hop on a train for 4 hours and spend a day or two, I would probably go twice; once for you!   

[Gurn Blanston]

Ah, this is certainly of interest.  Joanna Leach's disc of John Field nocturnes was a highlight to my listening year 2013, and I see that two out of the three square pianos that she plays on that recording are from 1823.  I loved the sound of the Field recording, so these two Haydn discs will be musts for me.

Yes, I saw that Field Nocturne disk sitting out there, some of my favorite little works. You are the first who has mentioned it. I reckon I need it also.    I think you will really like the Haydn disks.

[kishnevi]

Stray thought came into my head the other day:
the opening of The Creation is re-incarnated in the opening of Beethoven's Ninth.

(posted while listening to CDs 9 and 10 of the DRD Cube).

[Gurn Blanston]

Stray thought came into my head the other day:
the opening of The Creation is re-incarnated in the opening of Beethoven's Ninth.

(posted while listening to CDs 9 and 10 of the DRD Cube).

I like that. My take on it (FWIW) is that the methods used to get there were quite different and unique to each composer's way of working, but the intention was exactly the same. Two of my favorite little spots in each man's oeuvre, they must have been doing something elemental.

[Que]

Thanks, Q. I found the whole topic to be quite fascinating. It sort of reached out and touched me. If I could hop on a train for 4 hours and spend a day or two, I would probably go twice; once for you!   

Just out of curiosity, I checked and it would take me 22 hours to travel by train from The Hague, via Berlin and Vienna to Neusiedl am See (Austria), which is the nearest train station to the Eszterhazy Palace. 

Q

[Gurn Blanston]

Just out of curiosity, I checked and it would take me 22 hours to travel by train from The Hague, via Berlin and Vienna to Neusiedl am See (Austria), which is the nearest train station to the Eszterházy Palace. 

Q

After my 52 hours from Texas to Vermont last Fall, I could do 22 standing on my head!     I'll admit though that it is more formidable than I expected. Europe is so small, I didn't think it could take so long.

[kishnevi]

After my 52 hours from Texas to Vermont last Fall, I could do 22 standing on my head!     I'll admit though that it is more formidable than I expected. Europe is so small, I didn't think it could take so long.

Well, one could at least stop off at Berlin and Vienna and find something of interest to do, to break the journey.

But as a direct comparison--when I was checking into going directly from Fort Lauderdale to Fredericksburg VA next May (as opposed to joining family in Boston and going with them from there),  I discovered that to go by train from Fort Lauderdale to Richmond is approximately 25 hours  (all on one train),  before getting off, waiting several hours, and taking a one hour train ride from Richmond to Fredericksburg.

[Sergeant Rock]

I could do 22 standing on my head!     I'll admit though that it is more formidable than I expected. Europe is so small, I didn't think it could take so long.

By car it would take approxiamately twelve hours. Here's the shortest route (to Vienna; Esterháza is, what, another 60, 70km?).

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

By car it would take approxiamately twelve hours. Here's the shortest route (to Vienna).

Sarge

Ah, that is so much more what I expected. Although Jeffrey has a point; by train, it isn't the time spent moving, it is the time spent not moving that eats you up. Even in areas where you are forced to go slow, you are still going and making progress. Terminals are a killer! 

[Gurn Blanston]

I've been enjoying my research into the year 1766. While many of the little tidbits don't bear rewriting, they do provide for interesting reading for me. Meanwhile, I managed to extract one, solitary and sadly underplayed symphony out of all that. If yuo are up for it, have a read. I would be delighted if you then went on to discover this little oddity for yourself.

Symphony #28

Thanks!
Gurn

[Gurn Blanston]

I am curious what some of you think about Keyboard Concerto #3 (18:3) and 4 (18:4). I read such a varied reaction to Haydn's concertos in general, and I don't really know what to think. Obviously one can't compare a pair of work composed in ~1766 with the Mozart works of the mid-1780's, not least because of the fact that Haydn wrote his for the Prince's drawing Room (most likely) while Mozart wrote his to show his skills in a large public venue in Vienna. But just as works on their own, not in comparison with anything else, I am curious what y'all think.

I don't really care about who is the performer, this isn't a contest for best performance, or even what instrument it is played on. These were marketed as 'piano concertos' almost from the beginning, despite they weren't written for piano.

Thanks!

[Karl Henning]

I'm working on my Credo for a while, but after, yes, it is high time I revisited those.  (I wonder which of them I have loaded in the car's mp3 bank?)

[mc ukrneal]

I am curious what some of you think about Keyboard Concerto #3 (18:3) and 4 (18:4). I read such a varied reaction to Haydn's concertos in general, and I don't really know what to think. Obviously one can't compare a pair of work composed in ~1766 with the Mozart works of the mid-1780's, not least because of the fact that Haydn wrote his for the Prince's drawing Room (most likely) while Mozart wrote his to show his skills in a large public venue in Vienna. But just as works on their own, not in comparison with anything else, I am curious what y'all think.

I don't really care about who is the performer, this isn't a contest for best performance, or even what instrument it is played on. These were marketed as 'piano concertos' almost from the beginning, despite they weren't written for piano.

Thanks!

I love both of these works. I have them with Andsnes performing (and the 4th with Pletnev as well). The 4th is such a great piece, overflowing with melody and joy. I can't see that it suffers in any way with Mozart. I love #3 as well, though perhaps not quite as much as #4 (which is one of my favorite Haydn pieces). I think it relies more on textures and even rhythm than #4, but is interesting in its own way. #3 is perhaps not quite as 'advanced', but I say this as a way to describe it, not rate it. #4 is as good as anything written by anyone.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the Pletnev and Andsnes take it at remarkably different speeds (Pletnev much slower, something like 7-8 minutes - makes me think there might be some repeats in there that Andsnes doesn't take, although Pletnev is noticeably slower in any case). And while the performances are different, I don't find the piece suffers for it. It can take it.