BaL 16.05.15 - Mozart: Horn Concertos

[Tony Halstead]

I must have lost concentration during the broadcast since I do not recall Jonathan Freeman-Attwood pointing out that Pip Eastop played not the usual, justly criticised, Süssmayr completion of K412 but a reconstruction from Mozart's sketches by Stephen Roberts.

You didn't lose your concentration, Bryn, it wasn't mentioned by the reviewer, nor did he mention ( or illustrate) Pip's mind-boggling cadenzas.. nor the fact that the Hyperion CD also includes a superb recording of the 'Horn Quintet'

[BBMmk2]

When I can listen it's this!!

[verismissimo]

Pyatt! Didn't see that one coming, did we.

[Zucchini]

...nor did he mention ( or illustrate) Pip's mind-boggling cadenzas..:

Sort of Cziffra with a horn then? Yes, the mind boggles. Ugh!

[Bryn]

Pyatt! Didn't see that one coming, did we.

While I find that much of the distinctive character of these works is lost when performed on modern valve instruments, at £1.60 including p&p for a "Used - Very Good" copy I have taken the plunge.

[visualnickmos]

While I find that much of the distinctive character of these works is lost when performed on modern valve instruments, at £1.60 including p&p for a "Used - Very Good" copy I have taken the plunge.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. I love the fresh sound of David Pyatt's playing. I say this because I've one or two recordings where the horn-playing sounds - well, sort of 'laboured' as though it's only just making it - you almost think it's gonna "blow" at any moment. But with Pyatt, it's taking wing and gliding, effortless, but succeeding. Maybe not a very good analysis, but having no technical or theoretical musical knowledge, it's the best I can do, folks.

And you get the Horn Quintet, too..... and a very good one, it is.

[MickyD]

Personally I was sorry that Tony Halstead's second recording with the AAM didn't get rated more highly - it has long been my favourite.

[StephenO]

I don't think you'll be disappointed. I love the fresh sound of David Pyatt's playing. I say this because I've one or two recordings where the horn-playing sounds - well, sort of 'laboured' as though it's only just making it - you almost think it's gonna "blow" at any moment. But with Pyatt, it's taking wing and gliding, effortless, but succeeding. Maybe not a very good analysis, but having no technical or theoretical musical knowledge, it's the best I can do, folks.

And you get the Horn Quintet, too..... and a very good one, it is.

Still reeling from the shock of Dennis Brain coming second! Just been listening to the Pyatt recording which I bought when it was first released years ago but haven't played for ages. There's certainly a lot to like about it and, yes, the Horn Quintet is very good indeed. Not sure he surpasses Brain in the concertos, though. The measure of a "Library" recording IMO is that you keep coming back to it as I do with Dennis Brain.

[Tony Halstead]

Still reeling from the shock of Dennis Brain coming second! Just been listening to the Pyatt recording which I bought when it was first released years ago but haven't played for ages. There's certainly a lot to like about it and, yes, the Horn Quintet is very good indeed. Not sure he surpasses Brain in the concertos, though. The measure of a "Library" recording IMO is that you keep coming back to it as I do with Dennis Brain.

Not mentioned by the reviewer is the fact that the Pip Eastop recording also includes a superb performance of the Horn Quintet, which to my knowledge is the only one ( on hand horn) to follow scrupulously the Bärenreiter Edition's very tricky slurrings, difficult enough on the valve horn but needing an almost super-human technique on the hand horn!

[MrGongGong]

Not mentioned by the reviewer is the fact that the Pip Eastop recording also includes a superb performance of the Horn Quintet, which to my knowledge is the only one ( on hand horn) to follow scrupulously the 'Baerenreiter Edition's very tricky slurrings, difficult enough on the valve horn but needing an almost super-human technique on the hand horn!

The Brain recording sounds theses days (and aesthetics as well as technologies change) to me as if there's an off stage horn playing (brilliantly ) in a different acoustic to the orchestra.

I'm still waiting for Arkady Shilkloper to do one though

[Tony Halstead]

I'm still waiting for Arkady Shilkloper to do one though

maybe... it could be 'fun' but I'm not sure exactly what new insights on the Mozart horn concertos could be provided by an Alphorn, Jazz horn or Flugelhorn.
We have already had one notable recording that sets out to be an alternative to the various 'modern' and 'valveless' ones: the 'Hornbone' performances by Christian Lindberg, whose critical reviews included comments such as
"exciting and ear-opening";
"sham";
" giving horn players a run for their money";
and "a cynical marketing exercise".

[MrGongGong]

maybe... it could be 'fun' but I'm not sure exactly what new insights on the Mozart horn concertos could be provided by an Alphorn, Jazz horn or Flugelhorn.
We have already had one notable recording that sets out to be an alternative to the various 'modern' and 'valveless' ones: the 'Hornbone' performances by Christian Lindberg, whose critical reviews included comments such as
"exciting and ear-opening";
"sham";
" giving horn players a run for their money";
and "a cynical marketing exercise".

I wasn't thinking about a "Jazz" version
more that his fluency would give the others a run for their money

but

How about Lindberg, Shilkloper and Rattigan ?

I'd pay to hear that

[Tony Halstead]

I'd pay even more to hear Lindberg, Shilkloper, Rattigan and Eastop!

[MrGongGong]

I'd pay even more to hear Lindberg, Shilkloper, Rattigan and Eastop!

Definitely worth suggesting to them

[Hornspieler]

I did not hear this BAL because, apart from personal reasons at this time, the idea of drawing comparisons in performances does not interest me.

As far as I am concerned, anyone who is willing to put their personal readings of those four concertos on record should themselves be respected for their respect for the composer's achievements.

If opinions did not vary, there would be no point in belonging to this or any other forum. Nobody can be judged as "right" and therefore nobody can be stated to be "wrong".

Choice is a personal thing and "...one man's meat ..."

HS