Guy Berger Posted August 9, 2004 Report Share Posted August 9, 2004 A few weeks ago I picked up this DG/Archiv box set containing period-instrument performances of Haydn's 1766-1773 symphonies. I've only listened to the first disc thus far. It's a little strange to hear symphonies with harpsichord continuo (something I've always associated with baroque music -- do they do this on modern-instrument performances as well?) and not every symphony is uniformly brilliant, but cool music nonetheless. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 How many discs in your set, Guy? I've got a couple of these as stray singles, and I wonder how many I'm missing. Number 45!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted August 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 How many discs in your set, Guy? I've got a couple of these as stray singles, and I wonder how many I'm missing. Number 45!! There are 6: 1) 35, 38, 39, 59 2) 26, 49, 58 3) 41, 48, 65 4) 43, 51, 52 5) 42, 44, 46 6) 45, 47, 50 Clem, Bruggen's version seems to be out of print... What labels are the other guys on? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 The use of harpsichord in the continuo group is in heavy dispute among Haydn scholars - while common practice at the time these pieces were composed, there is no evidence Haydn played a keyboard in performance but rather was the leader of the second violin group. The orchestra during his earlier years at Eszterhaza was pretty small, with only one alto, one cello and one violin added to four each for the fisrt and second violin parts. There was excellent documentation accompanying the recording of Haydn's complete symphonies by the Academy of Ancient Music led by Christopher Hogwood on Decca - sadly the series was discontinued after Vol. 10. The ten boxes contain three discs each in chronological order, H.C. Robbins Landon was the musicological consultant. There was a VHS video published by Decca at the start of the series in 1991 (# 071 120-3) Haydn at Eszterhaza that is an excellent introduction to the subject and includes performances in the room where Haydn premiered most of these symphonies (# 29, 23 & 28 - these are performances different from those in the box). I prefer Hogwood to Pinnock, who is a little stiff on the beat for my taste. The Hogwood boxes are oop but may be available used: Vol. 1: # 1,2,4,5,10,11,18,27,32,37,107 Vol. 2: # 3,14,15,17,19,20,25,33,108 Vol. 3: # 6,7,8,9,12,13,16,40,72 Vol. 4: # 21,22,23,24,28,29,30,31,34 Vol. 5: # 35,38,39,41,58,59,65 Vol. 6: # 26,42,43,44,48,49 Vol. 7: # 45,46,47,51,52,64 Vol. 8: # 50,54,55,56,57,60 Vol. 9: # 53,54,61,66,69,67,68 Vol. 10: # 62,63,70,71,73,74,75 If you want order numbers let me know. There are recordings of early Haydn symphonies on period instruments by the Hanover Band led by Roy Goodman on Hyperion (another projected complete recording disconinued after poor sales), Derek Solomons on Columbia/CBS, and La Petite Band led by Sigiswald Kuijken on Deutsche Harminia Mundi or Virgin. But the ones by Hogwood are the best prepared and most consistent, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 I never liked the Hogwood versions; to my ears they sounded too abrasive at times, and I found the playing often not very polished. I prefer the "period performances" by the Hanover Band and Tafelmusik and for the late symphonies, the "big-band" versions by the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted August 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 I have the Hanover Band's recording of 6 7 8. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 I never liked the Hogwood versions; to my ears they sounded too abrasive at times, and I found the playing often not very polished. I prefer the "period performances" by the Hanover Band and Tafelmusik ... Well, I like it that he does not round out all the edges - Tafelmusik always sounded too polished for my taste. But if that's what you're looking for ... Hogwood was criticized for not rehearsing properly enough by his double bass player of the time, Barry Guy. But with a project of these dimensions one has to compromise, I'm afraid. Haven't yet heard the Freiburger's version - although they always delivered fine performances when I heard them, live or on record. I have Pinnock's version of the Tageszeiten Symphonies which is nice, but I haven't listened to it for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 haydn 6-8 --> freiburg baroque That is a nice and positive review, but the linking of Haydn's symphonies to the Vivaldi concertos is plain b.s. IMHO. Although Vivaldi's op.8 was widely available his music was hopelessly out of date by the time Haydn wrote his. Vivaldi died in Vienna in 1741, but did not accomplish anything there after his move in 1740. BTW, here's a link to the Freiburger Barockorchester's english web pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 I never liked the Hogwood versions; to my ears they sounded too abrasive at times, and I found the playing often not very polished. I prefer the "period performances" by the Hanover Band and Tafelmusik ... Well, I like it that he does not round out all the edges - Tafelmusik always sounded too polished for my taste. But if that's what you're looking for ... Hogwood was criticized for not rehearsing properly enough by his double bass player of the time, Barry Guy. But with a project of these dimensions one has to compromise, I'm afraid. Haven't yet heard the Freiburger's version - although they always delivered fine performances when I heard them, live or on record. I have Pinnock's version of the Tageszeiten Symphonies which is nice, but I haven't listened to it for a long time. That's exactly how many Hogwood recordings sound to me, under-rehearsed with rough edges - too much so for my ears. Tafelmusik may be a tad too polished (I agree with you there), but I prefer their approach to Hogwood's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgraham333 Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 clementine mentioned a complete Haydn symphony cycle put on on Nimbus Records with Adam Fischer conducting the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra. It spans 8 Volumes and all are full digital recordings (with modern instruments). I have all 8 volumes and have been happy with them. I went through a pretty big symphony phase just before jazz took over most of my listening. I'm no classical music scholar and won't claim to have sampled all of the possibilities, but again, have been happy with the Fischer recordings. I still break them out every once in a while when I am in the mood. You should be able to find them all at Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 21, 2004 Report Share Posted August 21, 2004 In case anyone's interested, the Freiburger Barockorchester just got rave reviews for their new recording of Haydn's Cello Concertos on Harmonia Mundi, by reliable German critics ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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