Haydn's Haus

[Wakefield]

Very good judgment on your part to pick the one recording I have.  And I agree it is a good time one.   What recordings exist beyond the Naxos?

As a matter of fact, there is not a great number of versions to choose.

I own the Naxos set and also the set included in the Brilliant Classics big box. The latter is a good MI version, originally released on Hungaroton.

There is also the Dorati version, but I don't have that one.

[Gurn Blanston]

You have written some lovely essays for 1774, Gurn. As usual, all of them full of information, but without trace of heaviness or, for the case, oversimplification. I especially loved the last one (I guess because of the genre, so frequently overlooked) and I have decided to give a serious listen to Il ritorno di Tobia this week, a superb rendition in the Naxos version, as far as I recall. After reading your last essay, I think your suggestion is quite clear: we need rethink the importance of Haydn's vocal music as a part of his complete output, even if Haydn was, as you rightly point out, more a conservative in these genres.   

Thank you so much, Gordo. I'm glad you liked the oratorio essay; it has been stewing in the background while I wrote the others, and my one fear was that 'yes, all well and good, but I'm not going to listen to an oratorio!.   I just found the whole story quite interesting.

It's true, I think, Haydn was conservative in his vocal settings, at least at that point in time. It was a respectful conservatism, I think, since he certainly has already proved by 1774 that he can be as outré as anyone!

Thanks for your reply,

[Gurn Blanston]

Very good judgment on your part to pick the one recording I have.  And I agree it is a good time one.   What recordings exist beyond the Naxos?

Jeffrey,
I think the Naxos recording was a godsend when it was released in 2009 (or so). I also have the Big Box recording and it is quite competent, no doubt, although it doesn't have the warmth of the Spering set. I wasn't aware that Dorati had done one, which Gordo reports. That's interesting, his opera recordings are my fallback when I can't find a PI recording, and they are more than adequate. 

[Karl Henning]

Happy Monday, O Gurn!

[Gurn Blanston]

Happy Monday, O Gurn!

Back at'cha, Karl!

[Wakefield]

Jeffrey,
I think the Naxos recording was a godsend when it was released in 2009 (or so). I also have the Big Box recording and it is quite competent, no doubt, although it doesn't have the warmth of the Spering set. I wasn't aware that Dorati had done one, which Gordo reports. That's interesting, his opera recordings are my fallback when I can't find a PI recording, and they are more than adequate. 

The specifics are:

Antal Dorati (dir.), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Brighton Festival Chorus. Label: Decca Stereo 591027 (1979). It's also available on CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-ritorno-Hendricks-Zoghby-Langridge/dp/B001R8ZE4G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_m_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MQQ2D4AC0B3BEMRD7BS

http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Il-Ritorno-Tobia-Joseph/dp/B001PBQLG0



Cover: Detail from "Tobias and the Archangel Raphael returning with the fish" by Adam Elsheimer (c. 1574/78-1610/20), The National Gallery, London.

[Wakefield]

I thought to search that Dorati on YouTube, but I found something even more attractive to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAflpM7DC-4

Unfortunately, poor sound quality.

[Gurn Blanston]

The specifics are:

Antal Dorati (dir.), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Brighton Festival Chorus. Label: Decca Stereo 591027 (1979). It's also available on CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-ritorno-Hendricks-Zoghby-Langridge/dp/B001R8ZE4G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_m_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MQQ2D4AC0B3BEMRD7BS

http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Il-Ritorno-Tobia-Joseph/dp/B001PBQLG0



Cover: Detail from "Tobias and the Archangel Raphael returning with the fish" by Adam Elsheimer (c. 1574/78-1610/20), The National Gallery, London.

hanks for that research work, Gordo. I love the painting on the cover, I'm hunting for a nice copy to download now. I left the fish out of the story because I couldn't tell how much Haydn dwelt on it, but for those who don't know the story, Raphael showed Tobias how to make a medicine from the innards of the fish which he then used to cure Tobit's blindness. I'm thinking he didn't drag it in the dirt all the way back to Nineveh, but hey, you never know.

[North Star]

[T]hanks for that research work, Gordo. I love the painting on the cover, I'm hunting for a nice copy to download now.

You didn't say if you'd found one already, Gurn. 

[Gurn Blanston]

You didn't say if you'd found one already, Gurn. 

Well, actually I had, but it was nowhere near as nice as your! Thanks,

[Gurn Blanston]

A new disk today, hadn't ever heard of this guy before, delighted to find this though:



Mathieu Dupouy plays the Hob 17:6 variations in f minor, along with the last three sonatas and the 'Gott erhalte Kaiser Franz' variations, so, the last 5 works for solo piano. Playing is very nice, more articulated than legato, nicely mic'ed so the sound is close but not overwhelming. He is playing a really nice sounding 1807 pianoforte by Jakob Weimes tuned to two different temperaments in different works, Kirnberger & Lambert. I'm just finishing my first listen, very pleased so far.

[Gurn Blanston]

Oh, forgot, a link....

[asin]B008O5PO36[/asin]

[Wakefield]

Oh, forgot, a link....

[asin]B008O5PO36[/asin]

BTW, Gurn, that number "8" on the cover is quite intriguing. Do you know if he is planning a complete traversal through the keyboard music?

[Gurn Blanston]

BTW, Gurn, that number "8" on the cover is quite intriguing. Do you know if he is planning a complete traversal through the keyboard music?

No, I don't think so. From what it appears, the label is putting out a series of disks of different composers and genres, #3 was a Telemann disk, IIRC, and not even solo keyboard.   They don't talk about it, just have some pictures inside the back cover.

I wouldn't mind if he DID do more Haydn, I quite enjoyed his style and the sound of his instrument.



[asin]B002P9KAPO[/asin]

[Wakefield]

No, I don't think so. From what it appears, the label is putting out a series of disks of different composers and genres, #3 was a Telemann disk, IIRC, and not even solo keyboard.   They don't talk about it, just have some pictures inside the back cover.

I wouldn't mind if he DID do more Haydn, I quite enjoyed his style and the sound of his instrument.



[asin]B002P9KAPO[/asin]

I see; it's crystal clear now.

[Gurn Blanston]

1775 was the last year of what is called 'The Early Esterházy Years', and the doings were Fin de siècle in many ways. I've been finding out a few things, if you're interested, have a look. I'd be delighted to chat about it.

The year of the last big party

Thanks,

[Gurn Blanston]

You know I'm shamelessly vocal about certain things. Here is a long-suppressed rant which bubbled over while researching the symphonies of 1775. I'd enjoy discussing with you, have a read! 

Why, that's just impure!

Thanks,

[kishnevi]

I would gander that the reused music was stuff Papa thought was especially good, so he made an effort to keep it languishing in oblivion.  Which was shrewd when considering for instance the relative obscurity of the theatrical music compared to the symphonies.

[Gurn Blanston]

I would gander that the reused music was stuff Papa thought was especially good, so he made an effort to keep it languishing in oblivion.  Which was shrewd when considering for instance the relative obscurity of the theatrical music compared to the symphonies.

Oh yes, the offending member(s) which should have been cast out are postulated as overtures and/or incidental music for marionette operas or dramatic plays. If in fact they are theatrical at all. Maybe they merely sound theatrical! *gasp*   

[Karl Henning]

You know I'm shamelessly vocal about certain things. Here is a long-suppressed rant which bubbled over while researching the symphonies of 1775. I'd enjoy discussing with you, have a read! 

Why, that's just impure!

Thanks,

A righteous rant, O Gurn.

I believe once one has taken it upon himself to illuminate some cultural phenomenon for the rest of society, it is not then necessarily incumbent upon the writer to go further and to pass artistic verdicts which are, by their placement within books of fact, given the aura of being fact themselves. I dearly resent this practice, and so should you. It should be up to you to decide whether this or that work is something you wish to listen to, and even enjoy.

That was exactly my quarrel with Harlow Robinson in his bio of Prokofiev . . . but I digress . . . .