BaL 26.04.14 - Haydn Symphony no. 101 "Clock"

[rauschwerk]

I listened the other day to LPO/Solti in this piece. As I recall, his set was mentioned favourably in the Penguin Guide and possibly elsewhere. In summary: too many strings, spoiling the colours of the orchestration. Timps too quiet. Leaden tempo for slow intro, and generally rather slow elsewhere. I found it a great relief to turn to Colin Davis, who really knew how this music should go.

I'm a bit surprised that nobody has mentioned Beecham, who must surely have been one of the first to record all the London symphonies in accounts which were much praised in their time. However, he used the now discredited 19th century editions and, as I recall, had a penchant (like most conductors of his time) for the 'stately' minuet. I doubt whether he'll receive more than a passing mention on Saturday.

[cloughie]

I listened the other day to LPO/Solti in this piece. As I recall, his set was mentioned favourably in the Penguin Guide and possibly elsewhere. In summary: too many strings, spoiling the colours of the orchestration. Timps too quiet. Leaden tempo for slow intro, and generally rather slow elsewhere. I found it a great relief to turn to Colin Davis, who really knew how this music should go.

I'm a bit surprised that nobody has mentioned Beecham, who must surely have been one of the first to record all the London symphonies in accounts which were much praised in their time. However, he used the now discredited 19th century editions and, as I recall, had a penchant (like most conductors of his time) for the 'stately' minuet. I doubt whether he'll receive more than a passing mention on Saturday.

More's the pity - always a good listen.

[Barbirollians]

I bought the LPs of Sir Colin's cycle and have never felt the need for an alternative - a superlative set.

[aeolium]

If there were a book opened on the selection, I might have a punt on Mackerras with the Orchestra of St Luke's, with Jochum/LPO as the historical choice. Not sure who would start as favourite - Abbado/COE, perhaps?

[Tony Halstead]

If there were a book opened on the selection, I might have a punt on Mackerras with the Orchestra of St Luke's, with Jochum/LPO as the historical choice. Not sure who would start as favourite - Abbado/COE, perhaps?

So, no HIPP recording then?

[aeolium]

So, no HIPP recording then?

Well, the bet would be placed on the basis of what I think the reviewer's preferences might be, not my own. On past form, I don't think Misha Donat has been particularly inclined to pick HIPP recordings - for instance, the Grumiaux Trio for Mozart's K563 Divertimento, and the Amadeus Quartet for Schubert's Death and the Maiden (both quite recently reviewed). Part of the fun of BaL is guessing which way the reviewer will turn.

But then I could be completely wrong - as I am with most of my bets

[And incidentally, Mackerras/OOSL gained the palm in BaL 3 years ago for their recording of the 'Military']

[Bryn]

... I'm a bit surprised that nobody has mentioned Beecham, who must surely have been one of the first to record all the London symphonies in accounts which were much praised in their time. However, he used the now discredited 19th century editions and, as I recall, had a penchant (like most conductors of his time) for the 'stately' minuet. I doubt whether he'll receive more than a passing mention on Saturday.

Ahem, though admittedly not in this thread.

[Barbirollians]

If there were a book opened on the selection, I might have a punt on Mackerras with the Orchestra of St Luke's, with Jochum/LPO as the historical choice. Not sure who would start as favourite - Abbado/COE, perhaps?

I suspect Sir Colin Davis's Cgebouw recording will still go very close .

[Petrushka]

...with Jochum/LPO as the historical choice.

Historical? Recorded in 1973! Now I really do feel old.

[cloughie]

Historical? Recorded in 1973! Now I really do feel old.

Is that because Jochum is dead? There was a time when historical meant the original source was 78s.

[aeolium]

Well, Klemperer was recording up to 1971 and yet I would instinctively think of any of his recordings as being 'historical', and Pierre Monteux was recording in the stereo age though IIRC he was conducting in the early years of the C20. I suppose I should think of the date of the recording but I tend to think more of the conductor.

[akiralx]

I listened the other day to LPO/Solti in this piece. As I recall, his set was mentioned favourably in the Penguin Guide and possibly elsewhere. In summary: too many strings, spoiling the colours of the orchestration. Timps too quiet. Leaden tempo for slow intro, and generally rather slow elsewhere. I found it a great relief to turn to Colin Davis, who really knew how this music should go.

I do really like LPO/Solti in the Military - but have always found the Concertgebouw/Davis set too genial.

[MickyD]

Though a confirmed HIPster, I have never heard Sigiswald Kuijken's take on Haydn's London symphonies. His cycle seems to be scattered all over the place on single CDs and the only complete set is available on a Japanese release. High time DHM put them all together in a box for us - I very much like his set of the Paris symphonies.

[kea]

Long before I knew anything about HIP, I checked Kuijken's 103 & 104 out from the library to listen to. It immediately struck me as being badly out of tune and poorly balanced. Of course I was too used to A=440 and the big orchestra sound of Jochum and the LPO, but I didn't realise it at the time. When the same thing happened with the L'Archibudelli recording of Mozart's Quintets K515 and 516 I was older and wiser, and persevered, and am glad I did since that turned out to be one of the great interpretations (imo). I imagine nowadays my ears would be more tolerant of La Petite Bande but I haven't been able to find them in my current library to evaluate their performance more fairly.

[waldo]

Though a confirmed HIPster, I have never heard Sigiswald Kuijken's take on Haydn's London symphonies. His cycle seems to be scattered all over the place on single CDs and the only complete set is available on a Japanese release. High time DHM put them all together in a box for us - I very much like his set of the Paris symphonies.

The Kuijken has recently become my preferred set for the late Haydn symphonies. He seems to bring more imagination and flair than a lot of his HIPster colleagues. A good, beefy orchestral sound, too. Hogwood stopped in the seventies, of course. I used to have Bruggen, but found it disappointing (cloudy recording, for one thing) and I could never take to Goodman/Hanover Band because he places a tinkling harpsichord smack bang in the middle of the sound picture.