Square or Forte?

[MickyD]

Tempting indeed, Pianorak - thanks for the link, it makes for interesting reading.

[Pianorak]

Mine arrived this morning together with the Clementi Sonatas. The Field Nocturnes arrived yesterday. Square Piano Day!

For a few days it's been almost non-stop listening to fortepiano and square piano. The Clementi sonatas played on the 1832 Clementi square piano are wholly delightful - no reservations whatsoever. The upper register bright and clear as a bell. The John Field Nocturnes played on Stodart, Broadwood and D'Almaine square pianos provided an interesting contrast in that all three sounded less robust/responsive than the Clementi. Some of the higher notes seemed to struggle to make themselves heard. Would they have been played to greater advantage on the 1832 Clementi, I wonder.
As mentioned before I thought the Clementi well suited to the Schubert D946/969 and 780. But listening to the D899 and D935 I couldn't help wondering if Schubert, when composing the C minor Impromptu with it's dotted minim ff opening cord (with fermata), was infact thinking/dreaming of a modern Steinway grand. Similarly, in the F minor Impromptu, I felt that the cross-over hands passages with their hushed and extreme legato might make a more profound impact played on a modern grand. Just my immediate impressions - and probably all nonsense. However, it was a new and thoroughly enjoyable experience.

[MickyD]

So glad you are enjoying those discs so much, pianorak. Such a shame Athene disappeared and Peter never got to do all the Mendelssohn pieces. I'll keep my eyes peeled for more square piano releases, but I doubt if there will be many.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Other than the Six Sonatinas, which were written to encourage use of his square piano, very little of Clementi's piano music is played today, but I've been investigating his sonatas since my brief attachment to his square piano. (Except that I'll be using a modern instrument - Calm down, you HIPPos )

[Peter Katin]

Such a shame Athene disappeared and Peter never got to do all the Mendelssohn pieces. I'll keep my eyes peeled for more square piano releases, but I doubt if there will be many.

Well, not really, as Athene is alive and well. What I find rather muddling is that some Athene recordings have been transferred to Divine Art - I was never told which ones! But a search on Divine Art will surely show which is which, and also they're on my website, which I think is accurate. I have a fine location for the Mendelssohns, plus a producer/engineer, so all we want now is the pianos!

[Pianorak]

my website

Thanks for pointing out your website. Just had a look and then hotfooted it to amazon where I came across what looks like a compilation of Dohnanyi/Liszt/Rachmaninov/Lutoslawski with Schiff/Katin/Jablonski. Do you happen to know which version of the Lutoslawski/Paganini Variations that is and who is playing? Also, which piece/s are you playing?

[Peter Katin]

Thanks for pointing out your website. Just had a look and then hotfooted it to amazon where I came across what looks like a compilation of Dohnanyi/Liszt/Rachmaninov/Lutoslawski with Schiff/Katin/Jablonski. Do you happen to know which version of the Lutoslawski/Paganini Variations that is and who is playing? Also, which piece/s are you playing?

I'm completely foxed by this! There could of course be a mixture of various artists on one CD - this is something over which I, for instance, would have no control, because once a recording company has the rights, they can mix them up as they wish. So I can only say that I might have recorded some Liszt and Rachmaninov but no Dohnanyi or Lutoslawski, and my name is neither Schiff nor Jablonski! I don't know how one can keep track of this procedure - the list on my website is accurate so far as I know, but for instance, there's a Tchaikovsky concerto on that list although I've had two emails saying that it isn't available. I intended to include a reissue of the Rachmaninov Preludes but the anticipated date has been put back to "some time after the new year" which might mean next Christmas... Of course, I can do nothing about it.

[Chris Newman]

I'm completely foxed by this! There could of course be a mixture of various artists on one CD - this is something over which I, for instance, would have no control, because once a recording company has the rights, they can mix them up as they wish. So I can only say that I might have recorded some Liszt and Rachmaninov but no Dohnanyi or Lutoslawski, and my name is neither Schiff nor Jablonski! I don't know how one can keep track of this procedure - the list on my website is accurate so far as I know, but for instance, there's a Tchaikovsky concerto on that list although I've had two emails saying that it isn't available. I intended to include a reissue of the Rachmaninov Preludes but the anticipated date has been put back to "some time after the new year" which might mean next Christmas... Of course, I can do nothing about it.

Peter, I have mentioned this on the NYO thread. This record of various artists is available on the Australian Eloquence label together with your wonderful Jean Martinon/LPO Liszt Totentanz. These Aussie records are much cheaper than the British Eloquence from Decca.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm completely foxed by this! There could of course be a mixture of various artists on one CD - this is something over which I, for instance, would have no control, because once a recording company has the rights, they can mix them up as they wish.

As a slight diversion, I do recall that when the VPO was exclusively contracted to Decca, the orchestra had stipulated a condition that they would not appear with any other ensemble on any discs.

[Peter Katin]

Peter, I have mentioned this on the NYO thread. This record of various artists is available on the Australian Eloquence label together with your wonderful Jean Martinon/LPO Liszt Totentanz. These Aussie records are much cheaper than the British Eloquence from Decca.

I replied somewhere but can't find it now! My copy of Totentanz is on Decca Bouquet and comes with both the concertos played by Julius Katchen. I recall that it was available only in Germany and Japan. Why, I wonder...

[Bryn]

Peter Katin's Schubert Impromptus on his 1832 Clementi lobbed in yesterday. Such joy. My first CD with square piano!

I have a question re. that CD which Peter is the most likely to be able to answer. In the artwork and programme notes for that CD, the instrment used is variously dated as 1832 and 1823. Which is correct? My quess would be 1832, but whoever was responible for proofing the booklet let at least three 1823s through. ;)

[Peter Katin]

I have a question re. that CD which Peter is the most likely to be able to answer. In the artwork and programme notes for that CD, the instrment used is variously dated as 1832 and 1823. Which is correct? My quess would be 1832, but whoever was responible for proofing the booklet let at least three 1823s through. ;)

As far as I know, it was 1832 - this is on the artwork of both the Athene and Diversions. I'm referring to the Impromptus; I don't have the other CDs. One can proof-read until blue in the face but there will still be an error somewhere!

[Bryn]

As far as I know, it was 1832 - this is on the artwork of both the Athene and Diversions. I'm referring to the Impromptus; I don't have the other CDs. One can proof-read until blue in the face but there will still be an error somewhere!

The proofing would not have been helped by the tuning of the instrument to a' = 423Hz. I feel the hand of Robert Anton Wilson's Illuminati, with their Law of Fives, at work.

[Peter Katin]

The proofing would not have been helped by the tuning of the instrument to a' = 423Hz. I feel the hand of Robert Anton Wilson's Illuminati, with their Law of Fives, at work.

That was correct!

[Bryn]

I was only thinking of the "23" aspect as a possible source of confusion, Peter. I am no particular fan of Robert Anton Wilson myself, but used to share accommodation with someone who was rather more than merely a fan. He droned on about The Law of Fives, and the supposed mystical properties of the number 23 ad nauseam.