Haydn's Haus

[Jo498]

The new edition of Haydn's works puts the early divertimenti from op.1 and 2 into a separate section from the quartets op.9 onwards whereas they were traditionally grouped with the string quartets. op.3 is almost certainly not by Haydn but by Romanus Hofstetter.

op.1 and 2 were published as groups of six each but one from op.1 and two from op.2 were originally not string quartets but divertimenti or symphonies with horn parts that were simply left out in their publication as "string quartets". Then another string divertimento was found that had not been published in either op. but is now included in op.1. That's how one arrives at 10.
The total number of quartets becomes confusing not only because op.3 is often still included but also because the string quartet version of the 7 last words is counted as *7* string quartets (which is really odd as it is one piece in 9 movements (prelude - 7 words - terremoto))

[Brian]

The other day I interviewed the athletic director of the college where I work, and we talked about the college's baseball team. The college won 7 championships, but they were so long ago that when I wrote down all the years, in my head I thought, "Hey, that looks like a really nice collection of Haydn symphonies!"

(85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 92, 94)

[Gurn Blanston]

when you think of Haydn, Ladies' Man probably isn't the first thing that pops into your head. But reality has a way of being different than perception, as I discovered this week. Check it out!

It wasn't my good looks...

Thanks!

[Old Listener]

when you think of Haydn, Ladies' Man probably isn't the first thing that pops into your head. But reality has a way of being different than perception, as I discovered this week. Check it out!

It wasn't my good looks...

I always appreciate your articles that flesh out my understanding of Haydn as a person.

[Gurn Blanston]

I always appreciate your articles that flesh out my understanding of Haydn as a person.

Thanks, OL. Everything I look into, I discover there is so much more than what we are generally told.

[Scion7]

re: Haydn - ladies man?

Depends on what sort of ladies weez talkin' 'bout.   

[Gurn Blanston]

re: Haydn - ladies man?

Depends on what sort of ladies weez talkin' 'bout.   

Hmmm... on the right day (or night) in the right mood, well, what can I say, that wig! That frilly collar; sign ME up!

[Wakefield]

Great essay, Gurn. It's very informative about Haydn's real persona and and, therefore, important to understand a certain spirit of his music.

I liked your unbiased approach in regards his wife. I usually distrust of the unanimous judgement about some people like Kafka's father, Socrates' wife and so on.   

[Gurn Blanston]

Great essay, Gurn. It's very informative about Haydn's real persona and and, therefore, important to understand a certain spirit of his music.

I liked your unbiased approach in regards his wife. I usually distrust of the unanimous judgement about some people like Kafka's father, Socrates' wife and so on. 

Thank you kindly, Gordo. I much appreciate it when people see things as I do, it makes me feel successful as a writer.    I know just what you mean about history's treatment of certain people. The one I had in mind when I was doing this essay was Constanze Mozart. Some of the things I read about her back when I was studying Mozart were stupefying in their chauvinistic unfairness. The mere fact that Mozart was obviously madly in love with her is all that needs to be said in that regard. And so with Anna Haydn, the fact she and Giuseppe just didn't click over the long run doesn't make her the devil incarnate. 

Cheers,

[Brian]

I was trying to infer the contents of the box from the barren listing at jpc. I seem to see they have skipped over the Sinfonia concertante, and instead, they have put in three of the Salomon transcriptions for chamber group, since there is a string quartet, and Hogwood on the fortepiano, although no flutist is mentioned. Interesting idea. No matter what possible combination they come up with it won't affect me; I have all of it!

We now have official word from both MDT and Amazon! Note the Hogwood 76/77 are included.

• CD1: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
• CD2: Symphonies Nos. 6 "Morning", 7" Noon" & 8" Evening"
• CD3: Symphonies Nos. 9, 10, 11, 107 & 108
• CD4: Symphonies Nos. 12, 13, 14 & 15
• CD5: Symphonies Nos. 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20
• CD6: Symphonies Nos. 25, 27, 32 & 33
• CD7: Symphonies Nos. 36, 37, & 40
• CD8: Symphonies Nos. 21, 22 "Philosopher", 23 & 24
• CD9: Symphonies Nos. 30 "Alleluia", 34 & 72
• CD10: Symphonies Nos. 28, 29 & 31"Hornsignal"

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD11: Symphonies Nos. 51, 41, 39 & 35
• CD12: Symphonies Nos. 50, 43"Mercury", 58 & 59"Feuer"
• CD13: Symphonies Nos. 47"The Palindrome", 46, 26" Lamentatione" & 49" La Passione"
• CD14: Symphonies Nos. 48 "Maria Theresia", 44"Trauer-Sinfonie" & 42
• CD15: Symphonies Nos. 52, 38 "Echo", 65 & 45"Farewell"

Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment / Frans Brüggen

• CD16: Symphony No. 54, Versions 1 & 2
• CD17: Symphonies Nos. 55" The Schoolmaster" & 56
• CD18: Symphonies Nos. 57, 60"Il distratto" & 64"Tempora mutantur"

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD19: Symphonies Nos. 61, 66 & 69 "Laudon"

The Academy of Ancient Music / Frans Brüggen

• CD20: Symphonies Nos. 67, 68 & 70
• CD21: Symphonies Nos. 53"L'Impériale", 62 & 63"La Roxelane"
• CD22: Symphonies Nos. 71, 74 & 75
• CD23: Symphonies Nos. 73 "La Chasse" , 76 & 77

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD24: Symphonies Nos. 78 & 79
• CD25: Symphonies Nos. 80 & 81

Accademia Bizantina / Ottavio Dantone

• CD26: Symphonies Nos. 82 "The Bear", 83"The Hen" & 84 "In nomine Domini"
• CD27: Symphonies Nos. 85 "The Queen", 86 & 87
• CD28: Symphonies Nos. 89, 88 & Sinfonia Concertante
• CD29: Symphonies Nos. 90, 91 & 92
• CD30: Symphonies Nos. 93, 102 & 103" Drumroll"
• CD31: Symphonies Nos. 94 "The Surprise", 97 & 99
• CD32: Symphonies Nos. 95, 98 & 101 "The Clock"
• CD33: Symphonies Nos. 96 "The Miracle", 100 "Military" & 104 " London"

Orchestra Of The 18th Century / Frans Brüggen

• CD34: Symphonies 96, 100 & 104

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD35: Symphonies Nos. 94, 100 & 104

Salomon Quartet, The Academy Of Ancient Music Chamber Ensemble

http://www.mdt.co.uk/haydn-107-symphonies-christopher-hogwood-bruggen-ottavio-dantone-decca-36cds.html

[Gurn Blanston]

We now have official word from both MDT and Amazon! Note the Hogwood 76/77 are included.

• CD1: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
• CD2: Symphonies Nos. 6 "Morning", 7" Noon" & 8" Evening"
• CD3: Symphonies Nos. 9, 10, 11, 107 & 108
• CD4: Symphonies Nos. 12, 13, 14 & 15
• CD5: Symphonies Nos. 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20
• CD6: Symphonies Nos. 25, 27, 32 & 33
• CD7: Symphonies Nos. 36, 37, & 40
• CD8: Symphonies Nos. 21, 22 "Philosopher", 23 & 24
• CD9: Symphonies Nos. 30 "Alleluia", 34 & 72
• CD10: Symphonies Nos. 28, 29 & 31"Hornsignal"

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD11: Symphonies Nos. 51, 41, 39 & 35
• CD12: Symphonies Nos. 50, 43"Mercury", 58 & 59"Feuer"
• CD13: Symphonies Nos. 47"The Palindrome", 46, 26" Lamentatione" & 49" La Passione"
• CD14: Symphonies Nos. 48 "Maria Theresia", 44"Trauer-Sinfonie" & 42
• CD15: Symphonies Nos. 52, 38 "Echo", 65 & 45"Farewell"

Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment / Frans Brüggen

• CD16: Symphony No. 54, Versions 1 & 2
• CD17: Symphonies Nos. 55" The Schoolmaster" & 56
• CD18: Symphonies Nos. 57, 60"Il distratto" & 64"Tempora mutantur"

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD19: Symphonies Nos. 61, 66 & 69 "Laudon"

The Academy of Ancient Music / Frans Brüggen

• CD20: Symphonies Nos. 67, 68 & 70
• CD21: Symphonies Nos. 53"L'Impériale", 62 & 63"La Roxelane"
• CD22: Symphonies Nos. 71, 74 & 75
• CD23: Symphonies Nos. 73 "La Chasse" , 76 & 77

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD24: Symphonies Nos. 78 & 79
• CD25: Symphonies Nos. 80 & 81

Accademia Bizantina / Ottavio Dantone

• CD26: Symphonies Nos. 82 "The Bear", 83"The Hen" & 84 "In nomine Domini"
• CD27: Symphonies Nos. 85 "The Queen", 86 & 87
• CD28: Symphonies Nos. 89, 88 & Sinfonia Concertante
• CD29: Symphonies Nos. 90, 91 & 92
• CD30: Symphonies Nos. 93, 102 & 103" Drumroll"
• CD31: Symphonies Nos. 94 "The Surprise", 97 & 99
• CD32: Symphonies Nos. 95, 98 & 101 "The Clock"
• CD33: Symphonies Nos. 96 "The Miracle", 100 "Military" & 104 " London"

Orchestra Of The 18th Century / Frans Brüggen

• CD34: Symphonies 96, 100 & 104

The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

• CD35: Symphonies Nos. 94, 100 & 104

Salomon Quartet, The Academy Of Ancient Music Chamber Ensemble

http://www.mdt.co.uk/haydn-107-symphonies-christopher-hogwood-bruggen-ottavio-dantone-decca-36cds.html

Thanks for the update, Brian. That's a nice blending of sounds and styles. I like Brüggen's Sturm und Drang set, so that's an ideal breakup to a long string of AAM. Also nice to see Hogwood's Military in there. All around, I think they did the best they could do with what they had to work with. At this point, with this box, anyone who says they can't see their way clear to get a Haydn symphonies cycle just doesn't want one, not really. 



PS - I wonder what the story is with Disk #19??

[Brian]

PS - I wonder what the story is with Disk #19??

Just checked Amazon - they have the same problem - but HMV.co.jp lists 16-23 all together as part of the Hogwood set. http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Haydn-1732-1809_000000000018516/item_Complete-Symphonies-Hogwood-AAM-Bruggen-Dantone-35CD-Limited_6915969

As one of those unlucky/lucky people who doesn't own the stuff in this set already, I shall be buying! $60 is awfully cheap

[Karl Henning]

Just checked Amazon - they have the same problem - but HMV.co.jp lists 16-23 all together as part of the Hogwood set. http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Haydn-1732-1809_000000000018516/item_Complete-Symphonies-Hogwood-AAM-Bruggen-Dantone-35CD-Limited_6915969

As one of those unlucky/lucky people who doesn't own the stuff in this set already, I shall be buying! $60 is awfully cheap

Très cool!

[George]

Thanks for the update, Brian. That's a nice blending of sounds and styles. I like Brüggen's Sturm und Drang set, so that's an ideal breakup to a long string of AAM. Also nice to see Hogwood's Military in there. All around, I think they did the best they could do with what they had to work with. At this point, with this box, anyone who says they can't see their way clear to get a Haydn symphonies cycle just doesn't want one, not really. 



PS - I wonder what the story is with Disk #19??

So the new Decca set has your seal of approval, Gurn?

[Gurn Blanston]

So the new Decca set has your seal of approval, Gurn?

  You bet, George. I already have all the disks in it, and there isn't a clunker in the bunch. My first box of 3 disks of Hogwood, already OOP at the time I bought it, cost me $50. This entire set of 35 disks at $60 is a shockingly better deal! As for the playing, it is as good as any. If I was to build a set out of other PI recordings (which I have them all!) there would be several out of 107 that would be different, but not because any of these sucked! 

Buy with confidence. 0:)

[George]

  You bet, George. I already have all the disks in it, and there isn't a clunker in the bunch. My first box of 3 disks of Hogwood, already OOP at the time I bought it, cost me $50. This entire set of 35 disks at $60 is a shockingly better deal! As for the playing, it is as good as any. If I was to build a set out of other PI recordings (which I have them all!) there would be several out of 107 that would be different, but not because any of these sucked! 

Buy with confidence. 0:)

Thanks for the info, Gurn. This will be my only set of the Haydn symphonies (and I only have a half dozen CDs of the Haydn symphonies as it is), so I wanted to make sure these were (at least) excellent performances.

[Gurn Blanston]

Thanks for the info, Gurn. This will be my only set of the Haydn symphonies (and I only have a half dozen CDs of the Haydn symphonies as it is), so I wanted to make sure these were (at least) excellent performances.

I think it's a good move, George. I have high hopes (and confidence) you will be very pleased! 

[Jo498]

I have all of the Brüggen and about 1/3 of Hogwood's but I guess all the ones I have are included, so overall almost halve of the set and despite the great price, I think I will restrict myself to the new double disc with Dantone.

I think the Brüggen is overall excellent and exciting despite a few excentricities, e.g. some wild tempo changes in the finale of 98 and some rather slow tempi in the first movements of 90 and 93.

Hogwood is not excentric. I find some of them a little "dry" and the very small (and small sounding) orchestra of the early pieces might not be to everyone's taste. Of course the main/only alternative for the early symphonies with HIP orchestra is Goodman who in my ears sounds more pleasant and less dry but is often marred by an overly prominent harpsichord, so I do not think he is clearly more recommendable than Hogwood.

But I wonder if there is a mistake and disc 19 is actually with Hogwood. These would have to be previously unissued recordings.

[Gurn Blanston]

I have all of the Brüggen and about 1/3 of Hogwood's but I guess all the ones I have are included, so overall almost halve of the set and despite the great price, I think I will restrict myself to the new double disc with Dantone.

I think the Brüggen is overall excellent and exciting despite a few excentricities, e.g. some wild tempo changes in the finale of 98 and some rather slow tempi in the first movements of 90 and 93.

Hogwood is not excentric. I find some of them a little "dry" and the very small (and small sounding) orchestra of the early pieces might not be to everyone's taste. Of course the main/only alternative for the early symphonies with HIP orchestra is Goodman who in my ears sounds more pleasant and less dry but is often marred by an overly prominent harpsichord, so I do not think he is clearly more recommendable than Hogwood.

But I wonder if there is a mistake and disc 19 is actually with Hogwood. These would have to be previously unissued recordings.

Yes, Brian came back and said he discovered it was a typo and it should have been Hogwood.

There is no doubt that AAM sound like a small band in the early symphonies, in fact, they are! Of course, the Morzin orchestra for whom they were written only had between 13 & 17 players total, so clearly they are going for the original sound! Obviously they don't have to do it that way, but what the heck, I'm glad someone did!

In a private communication here, I did recommend to someone that he try the Goodman disks instead of buying the re-release of the Hogwood just before this one came out. I know he tried 1 or 2 but haven't heard back yet how he liked them.

The problem with all that is that no one is currently releasing a set of which they make up a part, so going down that road is fruitless. As it happens, I am very keen on L'Estro Armonico/Solomons and the Apollo Ensemble/Hsu also, and could possibly make up a nice set along with Kuijken and La Petite Bande... 

[George]

I have all of the Brüggen and about 1/3 of Hogwood's but I guess all the ones I have are included, so overall almost halve of the set and despite the great price, I think I will restrict myself to the new double disc with Dantone.

I think the Brüggen is overall excellent and exciting despite a few excentricities, e.g. some wild tempo changes in the finale of 98 and some rather slow tempi in the first movements of 90 and 93.

Hogwood is not excentric. I find some of them a little "dry" and the very small (and small sounding) orchestra of the early pieces might not be to everyone's taste. Of course the main/only alternative for the early symphonies with HIP orchestra is Goodman who in my ears sounds more pleasant and less dry but is often marred by an overly prominent harpsichord, so I do not think he is clearly more recommendable than Hogwood.

But I wonder if there is a mistake and disc 19 is actually with Hogwood. These would have to be previously unissued recordings.

Thanks for weighing in, Jo.