Roy Goodman and Haydn Symphonies
Suttipan Limanond
Has anyone listened to Haydn Symphonies by Roy Goodman and Hanover Band
on Hyperion? What's your opinion on these CD's?
Thanks
Suttipan.
Simon Roberts
: Hi:
: Has anyone listened to Haydn Symphonies by Roy Goodman and Hanover Band
: on Hyperion? What's your opinion on these CD's?
Perhaps the most immeditately striking feature of them is the
extraordinary prominence given the keyboard continuo throughout -- at
times they sound like harpsichord concertos (the fortepiano, which he uses
in the late works, is less intrusive); you may like it -- to me it gets in
the way (I would prefer they omit it altogether, as other HIPsters do),
utterly ruining e.g. the important scurrying bass figures in 86/iv. But
even more annoying than that is his insistence on (a) performing first
versions of symphonies where there's more than one (so that, for instance,
the trumpets and timpani are omitted from 90) and (b) omitting timpani
parts that aren't indisputably by Haydn (no timpani in 48, for instance,
even though such authorities as Robbins Landon assure us that timpani
would have been used in such a work).
As for their interpretative qualities, they're a mixed bag. Most are
appealing -- to these ears anyway -- as sheer sound (the brass and
timpani, when used, are far more prominent than usual, often thrillingly
so (the outer movements of 82 are hair-raising, easily the most exciting
performance I've heard of this work)) and he tends to set appropriately
lively tempi. Some of the earlier works, though, have a rather generic
quality about them, like competent sight-reading. I've kept the discs
containing 17-21, 42-44, 48-50, 70-78 (three separate discs), 82-87 (two
separate discs), 93-95, and 101/102, so I guess I would recommend those.
If you want to sample the series at its best, start with 82/84, 93/95 and
101/102. Note that the series was unfortunately discontinued.
Simon
atrb
Simon Roberts wrote in message <86csal$ldg$1...@netnews.upenn.edu>...
>Note that the series was unfortunately discontinued.
I know that Roy Goodman and Hyperion parted company, but has anyone
heard any news/rumblings of him continuing the series somewhere else?
The trouble with complete Haydn cycles is that they will prove very
expensive
to record, especially when the competition is dominated by the Dorati set
which Decca have long since reissued as a bargain box.
Tom Barkes
Nottingham
UK
Suttipan Limanond
Thanks so much for your detailed evaluation. I'll go buy the ones
your recommend.
Suttipan.
Simon Roberts
: Simon Roberts wrote in message <86csal$ldg$1...@netnews.upenn.edu>...
You may be right; it's a shame that that decidedly uneven (to put it
mildly) set should dominate the scene the way it does. It may be, of
course, that the stuff simply doesn't sell - but if that's the case, one
has to wonder why record companies keep starting such series. So far
among projected HIP sets Solomons', Weil's, Goodman's and, apparently,
Hogwood's, have all been ditched; on the other hand, Fischer's on Nimbus
is almost finished, and, perhaps the most exciting yet, Haenssler has just
started another conducted by Thomas Fey -- given their track record with
Bach cantatas, maybe they'll come through.
Simon
Simon Roberts
: Thanks so much for your detailed evaluation. I'll go buy the ones
: your recommend.
Before you do so (unless this is where you were planning to buy them)
check Berkshire: they usually have at least some of them for half price or
less.
Simon
ESH Tooter
awful. I disliked it even more than I disliked Norrington. Norrington was
mereyl interpretively objectionable. I thought Goodman's Beethoven was poorly
played. Will my reaction to the Haydn be any different?
T.
Simon Roberts
: An interesting thread! I bought Goodman's Beethoven #3 & #4 and thought it was
: awful. I disliked it even more than I disliked Norrington. Norrington was
: mereyl interpretively objectionable. I thought Goodman's Beethoven was poorly
: played. Will my reaction to the Haydn be any different?
Probably (unless your definition of poor playing includes vulgar (if
you wish) horn playing and a generally rather raw sound); the early
recordings by this group are often dreadful (the nadir is the cello solo
in the trio of the third movement of their Nimbus recording of 95, which
is so bad as to be almost funny -- presumably it's there because the
player is, or so I've been told, their sponsor; she's since been placed
farther back in the cello section), but here they sound like a different
group (I love the tone of pianissimo timpani roll in the first movement
of their Beethoven 4, though). The recording quality is much better too.
Simon
ESH Tooter
you wish) horn playing and a generally rather raw sound); the early
recordings by this group are often dreadful (the nadir is the cello solo
in the trio of the third movement of their Nimbus recording of 95, which
is so bad as to be almost funny -- presumably it's there because the
player is, or so I've been told, their sponsor; she's since been placed
farther back in the cello section), but here they sound like a different
group (I love the tone of pianissimo timpani roll in the first movement
of their Beethoven 4, though). The recording quality is much better too. >>
Thanks for the comments. No, it wasn't vulgarity that I objected to in
Goodman's Beethoven. I was bothered by muddy orchestral attacks and generally
unaccented playing, not what one would expect in a HIP group.
Tooter