Haydn's Haus

[Bogey]

A boat load of historical Haydn.

http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeWorks/indexes/composerH.html

[Gurn Blanston]

A boat load of historical Haydn.

http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeWorks/indexes/composerH.html

Yup, a treasure trove. 

[calyptorhynchus]

I've just noticed that soemone has put up a large number of Donati's symphony recordings on YouTube. You can extract very decent MP3s from them, though each symphony is one track, not 4 (or 3).

I downloaded his 103 to hear the passage in the finale that Haydn later deleted and which Dorati plays, and I was very impressed by the recording*. It must have been heaven to have been a Haydn lover in the 60s and 70s when these recordings came out.

I think I'll be downloading a few more, just to have comparisons with other recordings I have.

** as for the deleted passage I think it's one of those cases where either version sounds fine.

[Bogey]

I've just noticed that soemone has put up a large number of Donati's symphony recordings on YouTube. You can extract very decent MP3s from them, though each symphony is one track, not 4 (or 3).

I downloaded his 103 to hear the passage in the finale that Haydn later deleted and which Dorati plays, and I was very impressed by the recording*. It must have been heaven to have been a Haydn lover in the 60s and 70s when these recordings came out.

I think I'll be downloading a few more, just to have comparisons with other recordings I have.

** as for the deleted passage I think it's one of those cases where either version sounds fine.

I just have a couple(?) of the Mercury releases.  I need to revisit them as well.

[Gurn Blanston]

I just have a couple(?) of the Mercury releases.  I need to revisit them as well.

The Double Decca of the 'Paris' Symphonies was my first Haydn purchase of the modern era. Later on, I got the 'Weekend Classics' Decca release of the 'Morning Noon & Night' Symphonies. They are not my favorites now, but when I got them I was delighted. Certainly nothing wrong with them that a little less age wouldn't have resolved.

[Bogey]

Well, we cannot have any breaks in our posting here, so today, if you do not mind direct me to anything you wrote or wanted to write about Papa's two horn concertos as I listen in.

Now playing:

Horn Concerto No.1 in D major, Hob.VIId:3
Horn Concerto No.2 in D major, Hob.VIId:4

Iona Brown with ASMF.  Soloist: Hermann Baumann



Baumann is an excellent musician, both as a soloist and as a collaborator in chamber works. The hallmarks of his playing are singing tone – he can sound operatic! – and the smoothness and evenness of his tone production, even on 'authentic' instruments." He pioneered the playing of early baroque and classical hand horns in performance, and his recovery from a serious stroke has been astonishing and inspiring.

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, we cannot have any breaks in our posting here, so today, if you do not mind direct me to anything you wrote or wanted to write about Papa's two horn concertos as I listen in.

Now playing:

Horn Concerto No.1 in D major, Hob.VIId:3
Horn Concerto No.2 in D major, Hob.VIId:4

Iona Brown with ASMF.  Soloist: Hermann Baumann



Baumann is an excellent musician, both as a soloist and as a collaborator in chamber works. The hallmarks of his playing are singing tone – he can sound operatic! – and the smoothness and evenness of his tone production, even on 'authentic' instruments." He pioneered the playing of early baroque and classical hand horns in performance, and his recovery from a serious stroke has been astonishing and inspiring.

Yes, Baumann IS excellent!

I wrote this essay a few months back, on the concertos for his soloists. The first horn concerto (Hob 3) was for Joseph Leutgeb, also Mozart's hornist for the concertos and Horn Quintet.

Solo concertos of 1762

Hope you enjoy it.

[Bogey]

Thanks!  I love wind stuff!  Some just cannot get enough of the keyboards or the string chamber works.  For me, it's winds.....small and large ensemble.

[Bogey]

Is it just me or does Fischer do a crappy job of bringing forth the winds during the 14th....or do I have my numbers confused. 

[Gurn Blanston]

Thanks!  I love wind stuff!  Some just cannot get enough of the keyboards or the string chamber works.  For me, it's winds.....small and large ensemble.

Yeah, I'm pretty fond of them too, even as much as Sonic Dave!    Leutgeb was quite the hornist, I guess. Here's another one mainly on winds. You gotta figure it's horns, that was his trademark, and fully 25% of his orchestra at times!

The Horn Also Rises

Some of the works mentioned near the end, the cassation and two symphonies, are worth a good listen, as long as you have your Fischer pulled out, and the L'Archibudelli, of course.

Is it just me or does Fischer do a crappy job of bringing forth the winds during the 14th....or do I have my numbers confused. 

Uhngh, don't know, not sure I ever listened to it. Which movement/part? All of it?

[Ken B]

True, and you know, the keyboard is intended to fill in the texture, not to sound like just a separate instrument. This is the root of Sarge's objection to Pinnock's Haydn, I believe. There is a difference between filling in texture and being another (leading) instrument in the band!

I never warmed to the Pinnock as I thought I would. I did not know why until I did a comparison to Hogwood. Then I sold the Pinnock. Unsettling as I have Pinnock's Bach and Mozart, but not Hogwood's.

[Gurn Blanston]

I never warmed to the Pinnock as I thought I would. I did not know why until I did a comparison to Hogwood. Then I sold the Pinnock. Unsettling as I have Pinnock's Bach and Mozart, but not Hogwood's.

Well, I had a brain fart when I wrote that post, I meant Goodman but wrote Pinnock. That said, Pinnock is an early representative in the PI business, they are a little bit stiff, so to speak, they don't have the flexibility in tempo that makes for a more interesting performance. One of our members calls his Mozart as being like a sewing machine! I don't think they are quite that over the top, but I find the Hogwood more to my taste. Some of the groups that have done only a few symphonies are excellent too, like Anima Eterna/Immerseel, and Arion Baroque/Cooper. Early times they were so intent on following the script that they forgot to be musical with it sometimes.

[DavidW]

I think that Pinnock is great in baroque era music.  I've found him a bit stiff in Mozart, have not heard his Haydn.  I want to though.  Contrary to recent posts on this thread, the forum consensus on his Storm and Stress set is highly positive.  That is what I have noted on different threads even years apart.

[Bogey]

I think that Pinnock is great in baroque era music.  I've found him a bit stiff in Mozart, have not heard his Haydn.  I want to though.  Contrary to recent posts on this thread, the forum consensus on his Storm and Stress set is highly positive.  That is what I have noted on different threads even years apart.

I usually do not care for him....threw him under the bus on occasions, but that being said, I still use the recording by recording test for my ears.  That is why I am glad to have listened to his Handel.  However, before grabbing box set, I would need to sample. 

[Sergeant Rock]

I think that Pinnock is great in baroque era music. 

That is why I am glad to have listened to his Handel.

Pinnock's Fireworks is the greatest I've ever heard, with a unique drama. No one else even comes close. Utterly satisfying.

I'm not averse to his Mozart Symphony box either, especially the pre-Little G minor juvenilia. The few samples I've compared to Hogwood, though, show Hogwood to be a bit more interesting, more rough hewn.

Sarge 

[Sergeant Rock]

Well, I had a brain fart when I wrote that post, I meant Goodman but wrote Pinnock.

Actually I have objections to the harpischord in both Goodman and Pinnock's Haydn although for different reasons. With Goodman the problem is the prominence of his instrument; not every recording is as bad but too many are artificially enhanced and unrealistic: way too loud. His relentless "pounding" in fast forte passages can be quite annoying (to my ears). Pinnock's harpsichord is set realistcally in the mix, thank god. Where it annoys is in its competition with the notes Haydn wrote. I want to hear Haydn, not the improvisations and noodlings of the player.

That said, I still enjoy their very different takes on the music and play both as much as Hogwood. Variety is good 

Some of the groups that have done only a few symphonies are excellent too, like Anima Eterna/Immerseel, and Arion Baroque/Cooper. Early times they were so intent on following the script that they forgot to be musical with it sometimes.

Following your blog suggestion of Immerseel's 44, I sampled at Amazon. It sounds great, and yes, very "musical." He's not afraid to vary tempo and dynamics for dramatic emphasis. Fey is similar although even more extreme.

Sarge 

[Gurn Blanston]

I think that Pinnock is great in baroque era music.  I've found him a bit stiff in Mozart, have not heard his Haydn.  I want to though.  Contrary to recent posts on this thread, the forum consensus on his Storm and Stress set is highly positive.  That is what I have noted on different threads even years apart.

Well, I'm not saying I dislike it, David, it just isn't very loose, if you take my meaning. The playing is wonderful in terms of virtuosity. Sometimes I wonder if they are using a metronome, though. Boy, I say one negative thing in 12 years and someone is right there to pick it up.

[Gurn Blanston]

Actually I have objections to the harpischord in both Goodman and Pinnock's Haydn although for different reasons. With Goodman the problem is the prominence of his instrument; not every recording is as bad but too many are artificially enhanced and unrealistic: way too loud. His relentless "pounding" in fast forte passages can be quite annoying (to my ears). Pinnock's harpsichord is set realistcally in the mix, thank god. Where it annoys is in its competition with the notes Haydn wrote. I want to hear Haydn, not the improvisations and noodlings of the player.

That said, I still enjoy their very different takes on the music and play both as much as Hogwood. Variety is good 


Following your blog suggestion of Immerseel's 44, I sampled at Amazon. It sounds great, and yes, very "musical." He's not afraid to vary tempo and dynamics for dramatic emphasis. Fey is similar although even more extreme.

Sarge

I wonder if he isn't capitalizing on the improvisational aspect of unnotated figured bass. You know, ornamenting in a way which I am sure some people did in the day. Still, ornaments need to be tastefully done, and really, I think they should be minimal when your job is to fill the texture, not be a soloist. All that said, I can barely hear it anyway so it doesn't bother me much. 

I really think you would like the Immerseel, Sarge. With 44 & 45 and Concerto Hob 11 on there, the coupling is hard to beat, in addition to the performance itself.  I like the Zig-Zag label, they usually do a great job on things like SQ. 

[TheGSMoeller]

I wonder if he isn't capitalizing on the improvisational aspect of unnotated figured bass. You know, ornamenting in a way which I am sure some people did in the day. Still, ornaments need to be tastefully done, and really, I think they should be minimal when your job is to fill the texture, not be a soloist. All that said, I can barely hear it anyway so it doesn't bother me much. 

I really think you would like the Immerseel, Sarge. With 44 & 45 and Concerto Hob 11 on there, the coupling is hard to beat, in addition to the performance itself.  I like the Zig-Zag label, they usually do a great job on things like SQ. 

A big +1 for the Haydn/Immerseel disc of 44/45, I purchased it off a Gurn rec over a year ago, definitely becoming a favorite recording of both works.

[Gurn Blanston]

1770 saw the remainder of the Op 9 quartets, and the super little Duos for Violin & Viola, too. As if the symphonies weren't enough! I put a little background together on them, check them out if you'd like.

Too serious to love, they say

Thanks,