Topic: The 'Dorf: In Titters over Ditters

[Gurn Blanston]

I just drove through Dittersdorf on my way from Leipzig to Passau.

Very cool. I just listened to a disk of his string quartets. Not as cool, but more edifying (I hope!)

Hope you are enjoying your trip so far.

[snyprrr]

Very cool. I just listened to a disk of his string quartets. Not as cool, but more edifying (I hope!)

Hope you are enjoying your trip so far.

CPO?... which one(s)? I do remember enjoying the 'Dorf when we were going through all this... will have to look through Thread...

[Moonfish]

TTT -    So, what's new in the world of Karl DvD?

For those interested, his autobiography (dictated to his son and finished just several days before his death in 1799) is excellent - I read it several years back (interdepartmental loan) - HOWEVER, just downloaded a 'Kindle' edition from the U. of Toronto HERE - other DL options are available (can also be read online) - and FREE!

Dave,
Thanks for the link to the autobiography. It looks like a very interesting read!   

[calyptorhynchus]

Can anyone tel me what the deal is that Dittersdorf's Harp Concerto. I have a disk of it and love it, but recently it occurred to me that it may not originally be for Harp, as there is a keyboard concerto in A by Dittersdorf which is the same piece.

Did Dittersdorf write it for keyboard and later arrange it for harp, or vice versa, or did someone else do the arranging.

[SonicMan46]

Can anyone tel me what the deal is that Dittersdorf's Harp Concerto. I have a disk of it and love it, but recently it occurred to me that it may not originally be for Harp, as there is a keyboard concerto in A by Dittersdorf which is the same piece.

Did Dittersdorf write it for keyboard and later arrange it for harp, or vice versa, or did someone else do the arranging.

Appears to be a transcription - below a quote from HERE - just checked my collection of about a dozen discs of his works and to my surprise, I do not own the Harp Concerto - hmmm, a surprise.  Dave

ADDENDUM: Well, just corrected that absence by ordering the recording shown below - excellent review on Fanfare.

Although Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf's Concerto for harp and orchestra in A major is a favorite of concerto-starved harpists the world over, the fact remains that Dittersdorf never composed an original harp concerto: this most attractive work is a transcription -- by Dittersdorf himself -- of one of his five harpsichord concertos. If, however, one considers the tonal characteristics of the harp and the harpsichord (and at the same time ponders the origin of the word "harpsichord"), one will quickly recognize that such a transcription makes pretty good sense.

[calyptorhynchus]

Thanks for the info, glad the transcription is original, and I think it sounds better on the harp anyway.

[SonicMan46]

Well, has been nearly 3 years since a post to the Ditters thread - I'm on the Ds of my classical music collection (listening to a lot, culling and replacing some, etc.) - now pulled my Carl DvD discs - have not added much and up to about 8 or so CDs - just looked on Amazon and not much seems to have change relative to 'new' offerings - Naxos is licensing some old works, mainly Symphonies.

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (1739-1799) was an amazingly prolific and versatile composer, over 40 'concertos', 120 or so 'symphonies, plus likely hundreds of other works when perusing his compositions in his Wiki Article; some of my recordings not shown before in this thread are below; listening to several now.  Also decided to re-read his autobiography which I just bought as a $3 Kindle edition, although a number of years ago, I left a link for a free copy (several pages ago).  Hopefully others will 'chime in' w/ some 'recent'' discoveries.  Dave

     

[SonicMan46]

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf - String Quartets/Quintets - the Berlin Classics w/ Gewandhaus Quartett is a 2-CD set of 6 Quartets w/ each disc being only 41+ mins; the CPO discs w/ the Franz Schubert Quartet each contain 4 works, i.e. the SAME Quartets on the Berlin release + 2 String Quintets - listening to both today, the CPO recordings are preferred by me and better value, so I've 'culled out' the duplicated works.  Thus, for those interested in these Ditters quartets, the CPO CDs offer the better value and performances IMO - Dave

   

[71 dB]

I got interested of this one, but it's seriously OOP. 

[71 dB]

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf - String Quartets/Quintets - the Berlin Classics w/ Gewandhaus Quartett is a 2-CD set of 6 Quartets w/ each disc being only 41+ mins; the CPO discs w/ the Franz Schubert Quartet each contain 4 works, i.e. the SAME Quartets on the Berlin release + 2 String Quintets - listening to both today, the CPO recordings are preferred by me and better value, so I've 'culled out' the duplicated works.  Thus, for those interested in these Ditters quartets, the CPO CDs offer the better value and performances IMO - Dave

   

Yes, those CPO discs are nice. I don't know the Berlin Classics set.

The availability of Dittersdorf's music isn't that great considering how prolific he was. Same thing with Vanhal. These two composers are really living in the shadows of Mozart and Haydn which is a shame because both are very fine composers.

[SonicMan46]

I got interested of this one, but it's seriously OOP. 

Hi Poju - listened to the oboe disc yesterday - excellent; I've seen it offered as a DL on Amazon & Presto (MP3 or FLAC on the latter site) - also for Spotify users, there are nearly two dozen Ditters recordings available for listening (first pic below; just half of the choices showing) - I listened to the 'Ovid' Sonatas on fortepiano this morning, enjoyable but not a purchase (plus streaming has become a major option for me these days).  Dave

 

[SonicMan46]

Yes, those CPO discs are nice. I don't know the Berlin Classics set.

The availability of Dittersdorf's music isn't that great considering how prolific he was. Same thing with Vanhal. These two composers are really living in the shadows of Mozart and Haydn which is a shame because both are very fine composers.

Just to re-emphasize for those interested in Ditters' String Works, the 2 CPO SQ/SQunitet discs have the same 6 Quartets as the Berlin Classics recording, so in my mind the latter is not needed; also the CPO CDs are selling for 8 Euros each at JPC; also, slightly cheaper at Presto in either CD or DL (MP3 or FLAC) choices! - Dave

[71 dB]

Hi Poju - listened to the oboe disc yesterday - excellent; I've seen it offered as a DL on Amazon & Presto (MP3 or FLAC on the latter site) - also for Spotify users, there are nearly two dozen Ditters recordings available for listening (first pic below; just half of the choices showing) - I listened to the 'Ovid' Sonatas on fortepiano this morning, enjoyable but not a purchase (plus streaming has become a major option for me these days).  Dave

 

I don't really do DL as I am fan of physical media, but yes, I can check the Oboe disc on Spotify.