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Gurn Blanston

Many of you know Karl, he has been a member here for nearly 2 decades. What you may not know is that he had a major stroke the day before Thanksgiving and is in rather a bad way in hospital. His wife Maria has started a Go Fund Me campaign to try and get some help, since their situation is less than...

Gurn Blanston

And on the subject of string quartets, Haydn used the term "Scherzo: Presto" for the 5th movement of Op 1 #3 in D major, which was certainly composed in 1762... Shall we continue? I love time travel. :) 8) ---------------- Now playing: The Complete Piano Sonatas of Haydn (1 of 14) - Christine Schorn...

Gurn Blanston

In Haydn's Symphony #42, composed in 1771. The 4th movement is called "Finale: Scherzando e presto". This is Haydn's earliest use of the term in a symphony. I have scanned all my recordings beginning in 1745, and have not found anyone antedating Haydn in orchestral music. The term "scherzando" IS us...

Gurn Blanston

The last composer who wrote in all genres, and who wrote nothing that is painful to listen to, was Antonin Dvorak. So he fills the bill nicely for me, since we each are offering our own opinions. :) 8) ---------------- Now playing: Divertimenti Vol. 2, No. 4 - 6 - Hamburg Soloists / Emil Klein - Hob...

Gurn Blanston

As for structure in music...I don't think that understanding the structure of a piece is a prerequisite to appreciating it. Depends on what you mean by "appreciate." Understanding is certainly no requirement for liking or enjoying a piece, but "appreciation," especially as used in the context of th...

Gurn Blanston

While a lot of the negative feedback to this article is well justified, a couple of points he is making are justifiable. It is very important to be able to discern the structure of music, particularly sonata form. That's what it is about, after all. And it is very easy to describe said structure, an...

Gurn Blanston

Well, I have no problem saying that Dvorak cracks MY Top X List! His death marked the end of one of the great eras of music, IMO. The 3rd trio, in f, was composed in 1882 as a direct result of the death of his mother a few weeks earlier. He used it as a way to work out his grief, and it seems clear ...

Gurn Blanston

Gurn: Indeed, they do. I hit on a sale last week and bought a few $17.00 discs for $10.99 each. It's worthwhile to register at their site and receive email notices of the sales. J&R's online service is quite good, also. And, yes, it sure is nice to see a flourishing classical CD store - a real stor...

Gurn Blanston

They do mail order too, don't they Frank? I was last in New York in 1968 to catch a Yankee game and get my car towed... :? Great to hear that a classical department somewhere is expanding. :) 8) ---------------- Now playing: Neue Hofkapelle München / Hammer - Wendling Concerto in G for Flute WoO 1st...

Gurn Blanston

Interesting - but Agnes is no mere enthusiast. She's been there, done the research. She knows what she's talking about. I don't know about this other guy. Probably don't want to know. Yes, I wasn't only speaking of Agnes though. As we would say in Texas, he is an all around, equal opportunity ummm....

Gurn Blanston

The name rings no bells with me - I gather you've encountered him before. Not a reliable musical authority, it seems! Quite the antithesis, he is quite reliable and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, he is, to say the least, intolerant of any standard of knowledge below PhD level. Mere enthusiasts need ...

Gurn Blanston

What is the tuba-like instrument popular in the early 18th C? There's a thread on it somewhere. That would be, I believe, the ophecleide. In some venues it was the replacement for the serpent, also (sadly) obsolete. One of the instruments that became obsolete at the turn of the 19th century and has...

Gurn Blanston

I reckon it is:

60% Classical
20% Baroque
20% Romantic

----------------
Now playing: Haydn Quartets, Op. 33 & 42 - Quatuor Festetics - Hob III:40 Op 33 #4 Quartet in Bb 1st mvmt - Allegretto moderato

Gurn Blanston

As a starter, given that you like chamber music, I can only echo Frank (Febnyc) and recommend the Paris Quartets. Lovely pieces. In addition to the Floreguim that he mentions. I can also safely recommend Brüggen, Schröder, Bylsma & Leonhardt on Teldec. This is a very nice recording, and still genera...

Gurn Blanston

I checked it very carefully. It is VBR (not CBR) and it averages 256. I rip archive quality VBR, the highest I can in LAME, and it only averages 225, so I can say with confidence that these are going to be very high quality. On the flip side, if I am going to pay $8 for the downloads from an album v...

Gurn Blanston

I was thinking the DZalman of EM. :lol: Well, I don't think Rod is anyone's sock puppet but his own, fortunately. Having known his for over 5 years now, I can say this for him, he is consistent and earnest. Ooops. It wasn't my intent to imply I thought he was a sock-puppet. It was my intent to draw...

Gurn Blanston

At this point I think Rod has done more damage to the cause than someone who despised HIP/OI. Oh boy, do you think Rod is the new Saul... :wink: I was thinking the DZalman of EM. :lol: Well, I don't think Rod is anyone's sock puppet but his own, fortunately. Having known his for over 5 years now, I...

Gurn Blanston

...if composers were content with contemporary instruments, then there would have been no new devleopments or innovations...this obviously has not been the case. I give you just one example for refutation, OTTOMH. Tchaikovsky heard that in Paris had been invented a new instrument that had a unique ...

Gurn Blanston

But this is simply not the case in reality whatever you believe. regarding th eorchestral music, the woodwinfd brass writing, of course it's the case. What did you think Beethoven played on for his audiences?? Thin air?? And then what about Mozart and all the others? of course they played on the co...

Gurn Blanston

OK, here is the Orpheus CO track, it is track 7, "Adagio - Andante, quasi Allegretto". http://www.mediafire.com/?6t2xmj1vyiy It is an archive quality (112-320) VBR MP3, but only 8 megs to download. Mediafire is an excellent download site, it doesn't put you through any hoops to download. Just click...

Gurn Blanston

OK, here is the Orpheus CO track, it is track 7, "Adagio - Andante, quasi Allegretto". http://www.mediafire.com/?6t2xmj1vyiy It is an archive quality (112-320) VBR MP3, but only 8 megs to download. Mediafire is an excellent download site, it doesn't put you through any hoops to download. Just click ...

Gurn Blanston

Thanks for that, John. Very interesting, and I would like to pursue it, but not here, of course. I (and no doubt Rod) would be delighted if the lovely and talented Corlyss or Lance would move this to that other thread I started.

Gurn Blanston

What happened to the poll figures. Nothing is coming up on my screen. Do others have the same problem? Sorry about that Lance. When I posted up the picture of Julia Fischer, it came out a bit large. The figures are still there, but you'll have to scroll sideways to be able to see them. Also, no edi...

Gurn Blanston

Are there any recordings of Bach organ works that are performed on actual organs from Bach's time? Not ones that have been totally rebuilt to modern specs in the 19th or 20th century, but the real deal. I have been curious about this for a long time, but am totally ignorant and would like to be enli...

Gurn Blanston

Thank you, Gurn. I know there was an ironic tint to your reply, but it was much appreciated nonetheless, I think you understand disgust when you catch it in a post. Yes, been there too. Of course, it all depends on whose ox is being gored, I suppose... But speaking of Bach now, as we are, and in ke...

Gurn Blanston

Unless someone cares to question my credentials as a member here, which I never do with anyone else, I will post on Bach whenever I feel like it and not observe some perceived need to apologize for it. I have never had the slightest interest in pop/rock, a worthless, non-art even within the general...

Gurn Blanston

Nothing personal felt or meant, of course. I enjoy the repartee. As do I. :) Understood. You won't find me in that camp. In fact, the question of being 'representative', as far as I'm concerned, has largely to do with which works of Beethoven might lend better to period instruments. Those works whi...

Gurn Blanston

I to pick a few great works (by any composer, not just Beethoven) and say they are a fair representation of that composer's output is not right. And the corollary, II that the chosen works are the only ones with "value" (however that may be defined) simply pisses me off! Now Gurn, come down off tha...

Gurn Blanston

A point is being missed here. (Actually Gurn, who has a huge and happy history people who only post here newly cannot imagine, surprises me with his comment.) All great composers are not created equal in terms of across-the-board worth. While there is no worthless Mozart, I think it is safe to say ...

Gurn Blanston

Back to the point though: I can't imagine anyone calling him/herself a Beethoven lover if they opt for only the jewels in the crown. Or a Mozart lover either (I know you aren't one, but I am). For me, it's the whole oeuvre or not at all. And I don't equate that with obsessive fanaticism. How can on...

Gurn Blanston

Concerning Rob Newman, I know him well and have had quite a few battles with him. I could be wrong but this doesn't sound like his style, sounds to me like someone else trying to pull a fast one. People have masqueraded as me before on more than one occasion, but they weren't me, because I'm me. Fr...

Gurn Blanston

Thanks for the links, Rod. I have most of this anyway, except for the Castle Trio. Sounds like I will have to try and get the reissue that recently hit the market. I wish L'Archibudelli had dome more than just the 2 they did, I prefer them to most... I have the Brautigam/BIS to date, no prayer of ge...

Gurn Blanston

Shortly before his own untimely death 2 months ago, my great friend and occasional poster on this board, Burchest, sent me a DVD containing a compilation that he had made over the years of all 7 Chuck Jones cartoons that were based on classical music. I hadn't seen any of them since I was still in t...

Gurn Blanston

Brahms wrote:
Gurn Blanston wrote: Period instrument is my only interest
What about food, water, sex, money, happiness, love, health? No interest in those?

Pale in comparison...

Gurn Blanston

I have one disk by Concerto Köln that is excellent. I don't know if they ever recorded the balance of them, but if they did, it is a worthwhile investment. Period instrument is my only interest, and Concerto Köln is topnotch.

PS - #1, 4, 6, 7 & 12 are on that disk, on Teldec.

Gurn Blanston

Indeed, his Grieg concerto instantly became my favorite version. Also, his Shostakovich Concerto (Op 35 for Piano & Trumpet) coupled with the Britten concerto is another favorite disk. I am not one of those who has favorite pianists that he lives to collect (violinists though ;) ), but I do keep an ...

Gurn Blanston

Gurn, you're making this up, right? :lol: No, but thanks for the tribute to my putative imagination. :D All true, every word. I recommend you listen to the orchestral serenades. Every one of them contains a symphony and a concerto. Haffner Serenade has a lovely violin concerto (that's why they near...

Gurn Blanston

The whole "Symphonies after Serenades" thing is not nearly so complicated as it appears at first blush. There is very, very little rearranging going on here. Let us take a typical serenade, K 203 (189b). It was renumbered to 189b because it turned out to have been written earlier than originally tho...

Gurn Blanston

Lance, Thanks again. I do remember seeing the trumpet concerto on various compilations, now that you point it out. Just isn't on any of the ones I have! :) In MY book, CPO is a major label. OK, well I usually go the indie route whenever possible, so you can see how that would be. And the major attra...

Gurn Blanston

And don't forget about Pichl's Bassoon Concerto with bassoonist John Heard w/Camerata Kiev under Ostrowski on Kleos 5123. Lance, That's a totally new one on me, bears hunting down, I should say. Is it coupled with some other bassoon concerto by a different obscure composer, perhaps? (Oh joy, if it ...

Gurn Blanston

Ralph, And let's not forget that the London Mozart Players / Mathias Bamert have also done a disk of Vaclav (Wenzel) Pichl symphonies on Chandos, in the "Contemporaries of Ditters & Mozart" series. It is also 4 symphonies, and the only one in common between the 2 disks is Zakin 16 "Diana". The othe...

Gurn Blanston

And don't forget about Pichl's Bassoon Concerto with bassoonist John Heard w/Camerata Kiev under Ostrowski on Kleos 5123. Lance, That's a totally new one on me, bears hunting down, I should say. Is it coupled with some other bassoon concerto by a different obscure composer, perhaps? (Oh joy, if it ...

Gurn Blanston

Ralph, And let's not forget that the London Mozart Players / Mathias Bamert have also done a disk of Vaclav (Wenzel) Pichl symphonies on Chandos, in the "Contemporaries of Ditters & Mozart" series. It is also 4 symphonies, and the only one in common between the 2 disks is Zakin 16 "Diana". The other...

Gurn Blanston

Chandos is one of my favorites, their "Contemporaries of Mozart" series, for example, is a great intro to lesser-known composers. ATMA has been mentioned, and Analekta, both have some first-rate artists and off the beaten path repertoire. One that hasn't been mentioned is "Pierre Verany", I've gotte...

Gurn Blanston

Feb, I have all 5 available Beck disks (3 on cpo & 2 on Naxos (6 symphonies of Op 1 & one of various Opera)). I completely agree with your assessment of Beck, I think he was ahead of his time and more of a precursor to High Classical & Early Romantic than we might assume from his lack of fame. And i...

Gurn Blanston

94 % enjoys reflective and complex music
4 % enjoys edgy and aggressive music
6 % enjoys fun and simple music
1 % enjoys energetic and upbeat music

If you had asked me, I probably wouldn't have said that this was my spectrum.

Gurn Blanston

I am equally inclined to believe that the "organ" works mentioned are Op 39 "2 Preludes through all the major keys for piano OR organ", and the "5 pieces for Mechanical Clock" WoO 33 that Simon Preston plays on the CBE on organ. If they actually were the fugue studies, it may actually be a CD first,...

Gurn Blanston

Teresa, Of course, I also wish you the best with this performance. I know it will be great! As for the piano sextet itself, I have the recording by Levin and soloists of the Orchestre Révolutionnaire &c, and I must say, even though it may be "cobbled together" it certainly stands well on its own. Ha...

Gurn Blanston

Pardon my ignorance - but what's DRM? It's "Digital Rights Management". So, you pay whatever to download a piece of music. Maybe to your computer, maybe to your iPod, whatever. And this software that they build into the file won't let you make a copy, even a backup onto CD. So if your computer hard...

Gurn Blanston

One of the main reasons that I buy my downloads at eClassical.com is because they are DRM free. Right now they have BIS, Hänssler and Signum, but are looking to expand. The fact that EMI is allowing non-DRM downloads could open the door for smaller sites like eClassical to carry their catalog too, w...

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Karl Henning

Bach performed on period instruments (particularly the organ