Haydn's Haus

[Karl Henning]

It's alive! 

[Sergeant Rock]

Auryn's? 

Yes, Auryn. I'll listen to the Kodaly and Festetics' op.50/1 later...but the last time I compared the three, Auryn was my favorite so I started with that. (I have Tokyo too but I'm too lazy to deal with an LP right now.) A pity the Mosaïques haven't done op.50.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

Yes, Auryn. I'll listen to the Kodaly and Festetics' op.50/1 later...but the last time I compared the three, Auryn was my favorite so I started with that. (I have Tokyo too but I'm too lazy to deal with an LP right now.) A pity the Mosaïques haven't done op.50.

Sarge

Yes, I remember that faceoff. I chose the Tokyo and the Salomon's  1-2. I also have a variety of others (Nomos, Tatrai, Lindsay's, Festetics, and those guys on Audiovox ( )). My favorites are singles by the Schuppanzigh's, wish they would have done the set. The new set I was alluding to in the essay is the London Haydn Quartet. I was talking with James Boyd last week on Twitter when he gave me that picture of the front cover of Artaria, and he said they were working on the final edit right now. I reckon it will be out in the next couple months then. Looking forward to that! 

[Sergeant Rock]

The new set I was alluding to in the essay is the London Haydn Quartet.... Looking forward to that! 

Oh good! I was meaning to ask you about that but it slipped my mind. Glad to hear it's the London Haydn; I like them. Listening to the Festestics op.50/1 now. First movement is too fast for me. The pulsing cello just doesn't sound right at their speed.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

Oh good! I was meaning to ask you about that but it slipped my mind. Glad to hear it's the London Haydn; I like them. Listening to the Festestics op.50/1 now. First movement is too fast for me. The pulsing cello just doesn't sound right at their speed.

Sarge

Yes, not my favorite either, despite my general preference for them. I do rather like the Salomon's though, they almost have it just right.

I'm pleased that the LHQ are doing it too. They have been getting better and better as they go along. I was ambivalent about Op9, but really liked 20 & 33.

[George]

Planning a full listen through the Haydn quartets in the coming weeks, starting tonight with the above two CD set.

[Gurn Blanston]

Planning a full listen through the Haydn quartets in the coming weeks, starting tonight with the above two CD set.

That's a great listening project, George, hope you enjoy! 

That's the very first version they did. I have the Op 33 and the Op 77 from that set (both on Harmonia Mundi) and quite enjoy them.

[Jo498]

So the Festetics did (at least) op.9,33,64,77 twice? And the "Seven last words" only for hungaroton or harmonia mundi?

I had both of their op.64 several years ago and finally got rid of the earlier recording. Despite being not bad and often livelier than the newer one, the much better sound of the Arcana led to that decision.

[Madiel]

I remember the op.50 blind listening. The first of the two samples, from op.50/1, the Tokyo were just stunningly good.

And then we got to the end and I found out the recording I'd fallen in love with was an OOP thing that had never been on a proper CD. Great. Thanks everyone.

I still haven't bought an op.50 yet. Too busy, or too scarred?

[Jo498]

The Tokyo was available on proper CD for a while (at least in Europe). But it's been oop for many years and what's sometimes offered used is probably the "improper" (burned) CDs issue. I have not heard the Tokyo (and maybe heretically I am not that fond of op.50 #1, may favorites are probably 4 and 6) but there is an excellent recording of op.50 (two separate discs) in very good sound by the Swiss Amati Quartet on Divox.

Apparently Haydn does not sell well (or DG are idiots or both). Otherwise DG could have easily put together a small Tokyo set (including op.50) because there are presumably very good recordings from the 1970s by that group that have never been on CD as far as I can see (Haydn's op.76/1 and op.20/4&5 as well as some Brahms and Mozart)...

[Gurn Blanston]

I remember the op.50 blind listening. The first of the two samples, from op.50/1, the Tokyo were just stunningly good.

And then we got to the end and I found out the recording I'd fallen in love with was an OOP thing that had never been on a proper CD. Great. Thanks everyone.

I still haven't bought an op.50 yet. Too busy, or too scarred?

The fact that it is on an Arkiv CD-R NOW, doesn't mean it was never on a 'proper CD' or even that it is unattainable. I see it for sale all the time, a 2 disk set for ~$35US. Now, if you only buy NEW, then that's another thing altogether. I saw one last year for ~$250US.

[Gurn Blanston]

So the Festetics did (at least) op.9,33,64,77 twice? And the "Seven last words" only for hungaroton or harmonia mundi?

I had both of their op.64 several years ago and finally got rid of the earlier recording. Despite being not bad and often livelier than the newer one, the much better sound of the Arcana led to that decision.

Yes, that's pretty much it. My Op 33 & 77 are on HM, a sub-label (along the lines of ASV Gaudeamus) that I can't quite dredge up the name of, starts with a Q though anyway. I am totally not sure what the relationship is between that and the Hungaroton ones, if they are the same versions licensed or what. I do know the Arcana are completely different, much newer performances.

[Gurn Blanston]

The Tokyo was available on proper CD for a while (at least in Europe). But it's been oop for many years and what's sometimes offered used is probably the "improper" (burned) CDs issue. I have not heard the Tokyo (and maybe heretically I am not that fond of op.50 #1, may favorites are probably 4 and 6) but there is an excellent recording of op.50 (two separate discs) in very good sound by the Swiss Amati Quartet on Divox.

Apparently Haydn does not sell well (or DG are idiots or both). Otherwise DG could have easily put together a small Tokyo set (including op.50) because there are presumably very good recordings from the 1970s by that group that have never been on CD as far as I can see (Haydn's op.76/1 and op.20/4&5 as well as some Brahms and Mozart)...

Yes, I have that Amati Quartet set too, I agree, it is very fine. Hardly any easier to get hold of, in the States anyway.

[Madiel]

The fact that it is on an Arkiv CD-R NOW, doesn't mean it was never on a 'proper CD' or even that it is unattainable. I see it for sale all the time, a 2 disk set for ~$35US. Now, if you only buy NEW, then that's another thing altogether. I saw one last year for ~$250US.

Ah well, guess my memory is faulty. I just remember the sensation of "what, you mean I can't rush out and buy it?"

I don't think I liked the 2nd sample from the Tokyo Quartet quite as much as the first. But the first... seriously, I still have it on my computer somewhere because it was so good I didn't want to delete it, fragmentary as it was.

[Pat B]

I do rather like the Salomon's though, they almost have it just right.

I have the Salomon op.50#4-6 disc. The 1st violinist (Standage?) sounds insecure, with frequently dodgy intonation, yet the overall result is still very charming. It is an anomaly in my collection: I can't think of any other recording that is so shaky technically that I like so much. After each listen it sticks in my head, sometimes for days.

[Jo498]

Yes, "Quintana" was apparently hungaroton recordings licensed to some branch of harmonia mundi, this also applied to their op.64. I also have a disc with Mozart piano concertos (Kocsis) on a "Quintana" disc.

FWIW I think the Festetics op.50 is quite good (I am not as fond of the group as many others here, but this is among their best in my opinion). If the Amati/Divox is also hard to get, sorry about that. I have not heard them but now there is also the Auryn and the Leipzig String Quartet. And jpc.de still has the Nomos' op.50 dirt cheap (although I found this a little "dry", it is certainly not bad)

[Gurn Blanston]

I have the Salomon op.50#4-6 disc. The 1st violinist (Standage?) sounds insecure, with frequently dodgy intonation, yet the overall result is still very charming. It is an anomaly in my collection: I can't think of any other recording that is so shaky technically that I like so much. After each listen it sticks in my head, sometimes for days.

I know what you mean, and yet, the results are as you say. I have actually dozens of recordings of Standage, and can't really think of any other which resembles this effort. It is one of those oddities; I have better recordings technically, but musically this one is very satisfying. Not sure what that says...

[Gurn Blanston]

Quintana..... 

Q

Yes, "Quintana" was apparently hungaroton recordings licensed to some branch of harmonia mundi, this also applied to their op.64. I also have a disc with Mozart piano concertos (Kocsis) on a "Quintana" disc.

FWIW I think the Festetics op.50 is quite good (I am not as fond of the group as many others here, but this is among their best in my opinion). If the Amati/Divox is also hard to get, sorry about that. I have not heard them but now there is also the Auryn and the Leipzig String Quartet. And jpc.de still has the Nomos' op.50 dirt cheap (although I found this a little "dry", it is certainly not bad)

Yes, I knew you guys would know.     I shouldn't even talk about disks away from my library; my memory for things like that is dismal.

I don't mind the Amati being hard to get; I already have it.   And the Nomos. I have the Leipzig 4tet Complete Schubert, and I really do like them for a MI group. Theirs could be in my future.  Sarge has all the Auryn that both of us need, so I'll let them go by. It wouldn't do to have all of them, that would be just crazy!     

[Madiel]

I know what you mean, and yet, the results are as you say. I have actually dozens of recordings of Standage, and can't really think of any other which resembles this effort. It is one of those oddities; I have better recordings technically, but musically this one is very satisfying. Not sure what that says...

It says that hitting the right notes is not actually the essence of music.

[Gurn Blanston]

It says that hitting the right notes is not actually the essence of music.

Heresy!   But yeah, I've heard it said about certain pianists too.