At long last I get to continue with my project of posting the Schneider Quartet recordings of the Haydn String Quartets. It is one of the principle reasons for having started the blog.
Since I did not have the last two quartets of Op. 76, one of the visitors to the blog kindly offered to supply me with them, so that I could post a complete set. The two files were provided to me by Jonathan Angel in unrestored FLAC . I did some decrackling and a very slight noise mask to get rid of persistent noise that would not otherwise filter out. The noise mask was set to .3 in DartPro 24. Thank you to Jonathan for allowing me to offer the complete Op. 76, surely one of Haydn's supreme achievements.
I am posting those last two two quartets first. Nos. 3 and 4 (The Emperor and Sunrise) are almost ready. Check back to this post over the next few days for the one through four, which I will be adding shortly, with the included note by Karl Geiringer.
http://vinylfatigue.blogspot.com/2011/03/haydnschneider-quartet-links-removed.html
http://vinylfatigue.blogspot.com/2011/03/haydnschneider-quartet-links-removed.html
Thanks, Larry -- I hope others enjoy this, and I absolutely can't wait for the others in Op. 76, which I've never been able to hear, to be posted.
ReplyDeleteIf any visitors to the blog have come across a discography for the Schneider Quartet recordings, I'd sure love to hear about it. Recording dates were listed at least by year on some of the Haydn Society pressings though not on others, and the same goes for personnel (for some of the recordings Madeline Foley was the cellist, while on others the cellist was Hermann Busch, Adolf Busch's brother, but only some copies of the records make clear who's who, and I've never seen good details) ...
Hi Jonathan: I'm posting 3 and 4 now. The Op 76 has Hermann Busch on cello and was recording in New York in 1953.
ReplyDeleteOh! and Jonathan, just want to thank you again for helping me be able to post the entire Op. 76
ReplyDeleteLarry,
ReplyDeleteCongrats! A most worthy project and your efforts are certainly appreciated by many folks!
Fred
Thanks Fred. It's a project that is dear to my heart. I really love these recordings.
ReplyDeleteLarry and Jonathan,
ReplyDeleteThis is a good idea for other possible projects, as it has been for the Haydn string quartets, with your help, Jonathan, and the Cherubini Requiem in C (Sir M. Sargent/R. Wagner), with mine. Larry, maybe you could list some other series of LP recordings which you would like to post but for which you lack the discs (or do not have them in decent enough condition, despite the wonders of restoration that you can perform), e.g., any Eugen Jochum or Herman Scherchen records of works related to each other, of a kind, or in series? A big dose of Scherchen's Bach cantatas would be marvellous to have, eh? (but that would require a LOT of work!) Anyway, Larry, you are doing a great job with artists whom we love! Three cheers for Larry, lots of them for Haydn, of course, and a thunderous chorus of praise for the Schneider Quartet!
Pax, Jerry Parker
Actually, Jerry, once I get the Op 76 completed later this week, I plan to start a project to post a number of Scherchen's recordings of Bach Cantatas. I'll begin with a lovely record of three contralto cantatas sung by the wonderful Hilde Rössel-Majdan. A very nice recording of some of Bach's most sublime cantatas.
ReplyDeleteHey Larry,
ReplyDeleteScherchen Bach you say! What a terrific series that will be!
Fred
Larry,
ReplyDeleteThanks again for this wonderful series. I was wondering if you have the Opus 0 Quartets with which the series ended. If not, I do have them (on loan) and will eventually transfer them. If you need them you will be welcome to post them.
-Al
Fred: I should have three contralto cantatas up by early next week, after I finish the first two quartets of the Op. 76
ReplyDeleteAl: I have the Opus 1 No. 0, which is the 5th quartet, but I'm unaware of an actual Op. 0. Let me know! Please.
Larry,
ReplyDeleteYou were unaware of Op. 0 because I goofed. It's not Op. 0 after all, but rather the 6 Quartets labeled Op. 2. At least one of the quartets has two horn players assisting.
-Al
What wonderful playing, and I like the idea that we will be able to enjoy one episode before getting another. The Emperor and Sunrise were the fourth and fifth Haydn quartets I got to know (the first three were the Janácek Quartet's magical recording of the Serenade, Fifths and Joke) and somehow the music is ingrained in me like deep record grooves. What a pleasure to be able to make a pot of coffee and sit back and treasure them anew.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for all your kind comments too!
RonanM: It really is a delight to hear how much another likes this music. I agree about the playing, the reason I wanted to get these Schneider Quartet performances up. I like "ingrained... like deep record grooves." Lovely!
ReplyDeleteAh Larry, you're done with Op. 76. Bravo friend! This was one of the best series of anything, anywhere, which I have had the privilege of downloading and listening to!
ReplyDelete-Fred
Fred: Thanks for the kind words. This Haydn/Schneider Quartet project has been very enjoyable. I listen to a series of quartets again and again as I restore the files, and afterwards. And hearing from people like yourself that you are very fond of the performances just makes it all so satisfying. Again, thanks.
ReplyDeleteLarry -- Thank you, thank you for the Op. 76 No. 1 and 2. I have no hesitation in saying that these performances are probably the creme de la creme, perhaps the best of this whole series, which of course is really saying something.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, the humor, balance, technique and musicianship of these performances has never been equaled in recorded history, not even by some very fine cycles. I'd honestly nominate Op. 76 1 and 2 as played by the Schneiders as being among the ten (or maybe even five) best recorded performances of anything, ever.
(In other words, I liked it. The continued unavailability continues to puzzle me. But now it's digitized for all time, thanks to you!)
I hope you (well, we -- I'd be happy to help if I can) can finish off this Schneider Quartet series before too long!
Bravissimo!
Thank you for these glorious performances of Haydn Op. 76 and for the decrackling and restoring job!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the most devoted and serious performances of the entire Op. 76. The finale of the Emperor quartet is dramatic rather than playful, and the Cantabile e mesto from Op. 76/5 is sublime.
Did Mr. Schneider also record Opp. 54, 55, 64, 71 and 74?
Larry, I too have been enjoying all the Schneider Haydn posts to date. My question is, are there more to come or is this all you have in decent shape? I've kept the FLACs on the computer while waiting for the posts to conclude, so I can figure the most efficient way to fit them on CDs. If this is it, I begin burning tonight! TWS
ReplyDeleteTWS: I'm glad you've been enjoying the posts of the Schneider Quartet recordings. I'm not quite done, having Op. 1 and Op. 2 still to go up. A little more patience and everything should be posted. Thanks for following the project.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting the Schneider Quartet recordings of their Haydn series! I plan to include them in a forthcoming review of the Op. 76 quartets and their notable recordings on my classicalnotes.net website. Work like yours is invaluable in preserving and making available great recordings of the past that have slipped through the cracks of the digital revolution.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!