Should there be a Haydn Fest?

[pastoralguy]

So far, BBC Radio 3 has had a Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky/Stravinsky and now a Mozart 'Fest'. None of these composers really need special pleading since they are already well established but I wonder if there would be any value to having a prolonged broadcast of Haydn's complete works.

I always feel that He is a composer who still needs exposure and the chance to hear works outside the 'usual' suspects'.

(I admit that Stravinsky may be the odd man out of the listed composers but his music is well known to those who are interested).

Opinions please...

[verismissimo]

Now there's a terrific idea, pg. :)

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

I Symphonies (1–108)
Ia Overtures (1–16)
II Divertimenti in 4 and more Parts (1–47)
III String Quartets (1–83b)
IV Divertimenti in 3 Parts (1–11)
V String Trios (1–21)
VI Various Duos (1–6)
VII Concertos for Various Instruments
VIII Marches (1–7)
IX Dances (1–29)
X Various Works for Baryton (1–12)
XI Trios for Baryton, Violin or Viola and Cello (1–126)
XII Duos with Baryton (1–25)
XIII Concertos for Baryton (1–3)
XIV Divertimenti with Piano (1–13)
XV Trios for Piano, Violin or Flute and Cello (1–40)
XVa Piano Duos
XVI Piano Sonatas (1–52)
XVII Piano Pieces (1–12)
XVIIa Piano 4 Hands (1–2)
XVIII Keyboard Concertos (1–11)
XIX Pieces for Mechanical Clock (Flötenuhr) (1–32)
XX Works about The Seven Last Words of Christ
XXa Stabat Mater
XXI Oratorios (1 · 2 · 3)
XXII Masses (1–14)
XXIII Other Sacred Works
XXIV Cantatas and Arias with Orchestra
XXV Songs with 2, 3, and 4 Parts
XXVI Songs and Cantatas with Piano
XXVII Canons (Sacred 1–10; Secular 1–47)
XXVIII Opera (1–13)
XXIX Marionette Operas (Singspiele)
XXX Incidental Music
XXXI Arrangement of Scottish (273) and Welsh (60) Folksongs



...er really?

[subcontrabass]

...er really?

Pianos Sonatas 21-27 will not take long (we have only 2-3 bars of each), but the rest - yes - too much for a solid block, but might supply a good background theme over a suitable lengthy period (6 months?).

Didn't we have a complete cycle of the Symphonies a few years ago?

[Pianorak]

Interesting to note a stunned 10 min. radio silence.

[vinteuil]

well, I'm against the idea of total immersion - but yes, it wd be good to give more chances to hear more Haydn. All those operas, so seldom heard - due for a revival.

[VodkaDilc]

Please, no!

[Pianorak]

Oh alright - I'll vote in favour provided it's confined to the following:

XV Trios for Piano, Violin or Flute and Cello (1–40)
XVa Piano Duos
XVI Piano Sonatas (1–52)
XVII Piano Pieces (1–12)
XVIIa Piano 4 Hands (1–2)
XVIII Keyboard Concertos (1–11)

[Panjandrum]

So far, BBC Radio 3 has had a Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky/Stravinsky and now a Mozart 'Fest'. None of these composers really need special pleading since they are already well established but I wonder if there would be any value to having a prolonged broadcast of Haydn's complete works.

I always feel that He is a composer who still needs exposure and the chance to hear works outside the 'usual' suspects'.

(I admit that Stravinsky may be the odd man out of the listed composers but his music is well known to those who are interested).

Opinions please...

I think we've already had it. It was called the Year 2009, IIRC

[agingjb]

Someone saying "the genius of Haydn" every twenty minutes for at least a month? I think not.

But still, play the music, in a proper balance with all the other great composers.

[Uncle Monty]

I always feel that He is a composer who still needs exposure and the chance to hear works outside the 'usual' suspects'.

I agree with that. One of my more unguarded young students said he thought of Haydn as "like a more boring Mozart", and I wonder if something of that feeling is general! But I rather think to try and play his entire oeuvre (when it's so huge) could be viewed as lazy broadcasting, and a failure of leadership and editorial discrimination. For similar reasons I wasn't keen on the Mozartfest, and while I don't know whether I'm typical, probably not, I only listened to three or four works over and above the ones I was already familiar with, which I enjoyed, obviously.

[VodkaDilc]

When I was a student I always thought of Mozart as a dull version of Beethoven and always refused to learn any of his piano music. I thought of Haydn as a 'slightly less boring' Mozart.
Now, many decades later, my opinion of Haydn has grown - but Mozart still does little for me.

[StephenO]

When I was a student I always thought of Mozart as a dull version of Beethoven and always refused to learn any of his piano music. I thought of Haydn as a 'slightly less boring' Mozart.

Should there be a Haydn Fest? Yes, definitely, as I suggested on another thread. How soon can it start, please??

[salymap]

What about a British composers fest? Not total immersion but several hours a day in various programmes.And not all about Britten, RVW,Elgar etc but worthwhile works of the last 100 years that never get a look in.

[aeolium]

How about this idea for a music festival? It allows the music of hundreds of different composers to be played, without any of them being blitzed. It'll have orchestral music, operas, chamber music, lieder, piano recitals, new music, early music, world music, jazz. There'll be the chance to hear minor works of major composers and major works of minor composers. There'll be live concerts, deferred broadcast concerts, archive material, classic recordings. No anniversary celebrations, or trailers, or request/personal favourites programmes or any work played more than 5 times in the year. There'll even be time for plays and talks and poetry and music education programmes. There's no fixed duration - it can last as long as people want.