Haydn fans rejoice
Posted by: Todd A on 14 June 2002
As you may or may not be aware, Brilliant Classics bought out (at least some of) the Nimbus catalog and have begun reissuing some of the titles at ridiculously low prices. Perhaps the highlight - hell, THE highlight - is the complete Haydn symphony cycle played by the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra led by Adam Fischer. I picked my 33 CD set up for about $75 (shipping included) from Berkshire and so far I am thrilled. I'm about half way through the works and have heard many symphonies for the first time. The early works are weakest, of course, but starting around symphony 30 or so, the overall quality picks up. The sound varies, too, with the best sound coming from the mid-90s recordings. Some of the performances are exceptional. Fischer's Symphony 48 trumps any other version I have heard. I look forward to the Paris and London Symphonies. Perhaps this set cannot match the Dorati set - I don't know, I don't own it - but at the price, this is too good to pass up. (I am sure the set is available cheaply everywhere by now.) Rejoice!
Posted on: 14 June 2002 by herm
Hi Todd,
I was wondering what was going on with you.
It's quite a coincidence. I was having a Haydn week, with the big Angeles String Quartet box by the CDX, Brendel's piano sonatas, and the Beaux Arts piano trios. Haydn always comes back when you need him.
Interesting that the Nimbus catalogue has been bought by Brilliant. I had always considered Nimbus and Hyperion to be the Rega and Naim of British classics labels (sorry, Anna), so it's funny that a budget label has taken over Nimbus. I'll keep my eyes peeled for the symphonies.
Please keep posting
Herman
I was wondering what was going on with you.
It's quite a coincidence. I was having a Haydn week, with the big Angeles String Quartet box by the CDX, Brendel's piano sonatas, and the Beaux Arts piano trios. Haydn always comes back when you need him.
Interesting that the Nimbus catalogue has been bought by Brilliant. I had always considered Nimbus and Hyperion to be the Rega and Naim of British classics labels (sorry, Anna), so it's funny that a budget label has taken over Nimbus. I'll keep my eyes peeled for the symphonies.
Please keep posting
Herman
Posted on: 15 June 2002 by JWinston
More info Please! I want this, where do I get it?
I'm in Los Angeles, and a cursory web search has me stymied...
Disregard, just found Berkshire.
Thanks for the tip!
If they had vinyl I'd be ecstatic but alas...
John
[This message was edited by JWinston on SATURDAY 15 June 2002 at 21:33.]
I'm in Los Angeles, and a cursory web search has me stymied...
Disregard, just found Berkshire.
Thanks for the tip!
If they had vinyl I'd be ecstatic but alas...
John
[This message was edited by JWinston on SATURDAY 15 June 2002 at 21:33.]
Posted on: 16 June 2002 by David Hobbs-Mallyon
This set was covered in BBC Radio 3 CD Review a few weeks ago, along with Christopher Hogwood's set. The Fisher set is recorded where many of the symphonies were originally played. I don't know whether the reviewer picked particularly bad examples, but the Nimbus recording engineers seem to capture too much of the acoustic, and not enough of the musicians for my taste. The comparison with the Hogwood recordings were interesting - very lean and detailed performances, with a very noticable harpischord. My preference probably comes somewhere between the two. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be interested.
David
David
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by David Hobbs-Mallyon
Nick, you've probably hit the nail spot on. Thinking back, a few years ago I heard Pinnock, do a Haydn evening at the Proms. which was excellent, including a good 'Drumroll' a particularly fine Theresienmesse, one of the highlights of that year.
Will investigate, although I'm already in trouble with my wife for ordering 4 different Vaughan Williams 3s after the review in Gramophone.
David
Will investigate, although I'm already in trouble with my wife for ordering 4 different Vaughan Williams 3s after the review in Gramophone.
David
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by herm
Pinnock when?
All I'm wondering is when these recordings were made. I have Pinnocks Brandenburg Ctos, and the playing is fine (though Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque has a little more flash and flamboyance), but the Pinnock Bach really suffers from congested early-eighties digital. So I would hope the Haydn recordings are of a somewhat later date.
Herman
All I'm wondering is when these recordings were made. I have Pinnocks Brandenburg Ctos, and the playing is fine (though Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque has a little more flash and flamboyance), but the Pinnock Bach really suffers from congested early-eighties digital. So I would hope the Haydn recordings are of a somewhat later date.
Herman
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by David Hobbs-Mallyon
herm,
I surprised by your comments on the Pinnock Bach - the recording of the Brandenburgs sounds excellent to my ears.
The Theresienmesse recording I have was released in 1994 - to be honest, it's always been a disappointment after that particular Prom performance. Having a quick look on Amazon, there wasn't that much in terms of Haydn/Pinnock.
I think I may have read some time back that he had given up conducting to focus on his harpsichord playing. Sad if it's true.
David
I surprised by your comments on the Pinnock Bach - the recording of the Brandenburgs sounds excellent to my ears.
The Theresienmesse recording I have was released in 1994 - to be honest, it's always been a disappointment after that particular Prom performance. Having a quick look on Amazon, there wasn't that much in terms of Haydn/Pinnock.
I think I may have read some time back that he had given up conducting to focus on his harpsichord playing. Sad if it's true.
David
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by herm
dissemation of iffy info
Hi David,
I checked with Pinnock's Brandenburg nr 4, and I guess you're right, sorry. No closed in sound.* Maybe the problem was my system, maybe it was my brain (mixing up the Brandenburgs with another Archiv production of the same period), but anyways I deserve to be banned for the dissemation of iffy info.
Speaking of Haydn Symphonies. I have the London Symphonies by Harnoncourt and the Concertgebouw. I.e. modern instruments and a period conductor. Some of the symphonies sound absolutely fabulous. Perhaps the downside of Harnoncourt is that everything he does in that area (Mozart, Haudn, Beethoven and Schubert tends to sound too similar: your ears are bathed in this glorious Amsterdam sound, with those sudden Harnoncourt accents. So the Haydn E flat (99) comes very close to the Mozart E flat (39) by the same conductor orchestra combo.
Herman
* Though am I wrong in thinking the first Brandenburg has a different kind of dynamics and distance than the fourth? The recording location and staff are identical. Ban me please!
Hi David,
I checked with Pinnock's Brandenburg nr 4, and I guess you're right, sorry. No closed in sound.* Maybe the problem was my system, maybe it was my brain (mixing up the Brandenburgs with another Archiv production of the same period), but anyways I deserve to be banned for the dissemation of iffy info.
Speaking of Haydn Symphonies. I have the London Symphonies by Harnoncourt and the Concertgebouw. I.e. modern instruments and a period conductor. Some of the symphonies sound absolutely fabulous. Perhaps the downside of Harnoncourt is that everything he does in that area (Mozart, Haudn, Beethoven and Schubert tends to sound too similar: your ears are bathed in this glorious Amsterdam sound, with those sudden Harnoncourt accents. So the Haydn E flat (99) comes very close to the Mozart E flat (39) by the same conductor orchestra combo.
Herman
* Though am I wrong in thinking the first Brandenburg has a different kind of dynamics and distance than the fourth? The recording location and staff are identical. Ban me please!
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by David Hobbs-Mallyon
herm,
I'll give you a temporary stay of execution until I've had a listen myself. You're in luck the World Cup is in full swing as music is playing second fiddle at the moment.
David
I'll give you a temporary stay of execution until I've had a listen myself. You're in luck the World Cup is in full swing as music is playing second fiddle at the moment.
David
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by David Hobbs-Mallyon
Nick,
So which Pinnock Haydn recordings were you talking about?
David
So which Pinnock Haydn recordings were you talking about?
David
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by herm
early digital
could it be I was mixing up Hogwood and Pinnock?
Herman
could it be I was mixing up Hogwood and Pinnock?
Herman
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by herm
Yeah, bummer. Still, as long as you can live with it...
Herman
Herman
Posted on: 18 June 2002 by David Hobbs-Mallyon
quote:
you're more than welcome to pop round and borrow some to see if you agree.
I would like a listen to those Obelisks....
quote:
Only a matter of time before I only play 20th Century and pre-1600....
Great, an evening of Hildegard von Bingen, Perotin, Xenakis and Birtwistle. Does that sound OK?
David
Posted on: 23 December 2002 by herm
I'm wondering where purchasing 33 cds at one go will put me in comparison with Nick; however, I chanced upon the Complete Haydn Symphonies by Adam Fischer and the Austro Hungarian boys today, at 45 euros / dollars, and I have to say it's an exhilarating acquisition.
Of course I already had the Paris and London symphonies (by Dutoit / Montreal and Harnoncourt / Concertgebouw) but getting hold ofa good set of the symphonies 40 - 70 is not all that easy. And there is no sense of routine playing; there is ardor and beauty of execution. And it is really interesting to hear (in these middle works) how Haydn turned those slow movements into little horn / bassoon / whatever concerts, to show off his musicians, and cover the problems of interiority either / or expression Mozart would solve in his last ten symphonies.
I recall my parents had a friend who (allegedly) used to listen to a Haydn symphony every night at dinner - the Dorati box surely. Now I can do the same. I am thoroughly recommending this box.
Herman
Of course I already had the Paris and London symphonies (by Dutoit / Montreal and Harnoncourt / Concertgebouw) but getting hold ofa good set of the symphonies 40 - 70 is not all that easy. And there is no sense of routine playing; there is ardor and beauty of execution. And it is really interesting to hear (in these middle works) how Haydn turned those slow movements into little horn / bassoon / whatever concerts, to show off his musicians, and cover the problems of interiority either / or expression Mozart would solve in his last ten symphonies.
I recall my parents had a friend who (allegedly) used to listen to a Haydn symphony every night at dinner - the Dorati box surely. Now I can do the same. I am thoroughly recommending this box.
Herman
Posted on: 29 December 2002 by herm
to answer your questions, cc:
My purchase of the complete symphonies was made at the drugstore people were talking about: Kruidvat. Just come on over and enjoy! I spent major time in a huge line of 27 - 35 year old women with jumbo packs of diapers or terrifying mansized tubes of toothpaste, and there I was with my friend and mentor Haydn.
The string quartets. I bought those at a moment when they were just released and I could get them for (i seem to recall) 74 euro. Again, lucky me! I checked and this box doesn't seem to be as widely available as one would think. It's only a year old, and took ten years to produce! They are 125+ USD at Tower, which is, obviously, still not insurmountable for that many discs, but you'd wish for a better deal.
And talk about wishes. Some time ago I sat in a traffic jam, and there was a Haudn piano sonata on FM, played by Richard Brautigam, who's doing the sonatas on BIS. He's performing these pieces on a period fortepiano, and you know, it's ok for a while, but you are getting bored soon with tinnitude.
Why doesn't Menahim Pressler, the leader of the old Beaux Arts Trio record the modern intégrale Haydn keyboard sonatas I need so bad, to complete my boxes of piano trios, string quartets and symphonies? These are such a sober source of bliss and stability. Haydn is the composer who stays with you all your life, once you get to know him.
Herman
My purchase of the complete symphonies was made at the drugstore people were talking about: Kruidvat. Just come on over and enjoy! I spent major time in a huge line of 27 - 35 year old women with jumbo packs of diapers or terrifying mansized tubes of toothpaste, and there I was with my friend and mentor Haydn.
The string quartets. I bought those at a moment when they were just released and I could get them for (i seem to recall) 74 euro. Again, lucky me! I checked and this box doesn't seem to be as widely available as one would think. It's only a year old, and took ten years to produce! They are 125+ USD at Tower, which is, obviously, still not insurmountable for that many discs, but you'd wish for a better deal.
And talk about wishes. Some time ago I sat in a traffic jam, and there was a Haudn piano sonata on FM, played by Richard Brautigam, who's doing the sonatas on BIS. He's performing these pieces on a period fortepiano, and you know, it's ok for a while, but you are getting bored soon with tinnitude.
Why doesn't Menahim Pressler, the leader of the old Beaux Arts Trio record the modern intégrale Haydn keyboard sonatas I need so bad, to complete my boxes of piano trios, string quartets and symphonies? These are such a sober source of bliss and stability. Haydn is the composer who stays with you all your life, once you get to know him.
Herman