Comments on: Haydn D and the poor cellists who have to play it…

By: Patricio

Patricio — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:48:56 +0000

I agree with you, Haydn in D is very difficult. I am fighting with it in the worst scenario, as you tell from your experience: an audition is near.
I hope that I can play for a while, not only 2 minutes…time for warming a little, and make music…I hate auditions because they kill the music, they seem more like athletics competitions…Maybe the auditions should have to be as “real” concerts, but they would be too long. It’s a shame…

By: David Nice

David Nice — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:24:06 +0000

Thanks belatedly for this! I had to do a talk on Haydn D major and Mahler 5, and with 40 minutes didn’t have much time for the concerto, so quoted your eloquent words above as to why it was so hard to play. Have also linked to this in writing it up.

All best wishes – must check when we’re due to see you next in Blighty.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:41:07 +0000

Hello Mr. Gerhardt,

I heard the 3rd movement of Haydn D on the radio around 5 years ago, it was what started my love for cello music. Now, I’m addicted. The cello has to be the most beautiful musical instrument there is.

I see on your ‘Schedule’ link that you are coming to the Philippines on the 16th of September for a recital with the Ms. Cecile Licad, I will be filing my leave from work for that day first thing tomorrow morning. I cannot wait.

All the best,

Andrea

By: Thomas Walter

Thomas Walter — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:13:08 +0000

I think that the Haydn concerto is a wonderfull piece of music and also a nice technical challenge…

Alban, I listened to your cd with the romantic cello concertos vol. I and its great! What a pity that there is no chance to hear them in a live performance…

By: Guido

Guido — Sun, 10 May 2009 18:35:33 +0000

Not sure I have heard it playe like that no! Maybe the Feuermann version that I own will be like that – haven’t heard it in a while, but he always played stuff very fast, with the ‘larger line’ in mind.

By: Alban

Alban — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:58:42 +0000

Hi Michael and Guido,
oh yes, Brett Dean used to be violist in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and even though he left the orchestra in order to focus on his composing, he never gave up the viola and maybe plays better than ever – plays sometimes is gorgeous viola concerto himself, and the recording I have of it is magnificent!

If the Haydn D was written by Haydn or Krafft (his principal cellist) or collaborated with doesn’t matter – it is a wonderful piece of music which just doesn’t work if it’s being played at half speed (the first movement). Ton Koopman agreed with me that the outer movements are to be seen as virtuosic show pieces, that one shouldn’t self-indulge but going for the big lines and rather feel it in a pulse of two per bar rather than eight! Have you ever heard with that kind of verve played? It becomes a much stronger piece, even though I agree, especially the Creation is much stronger – but so are many pieces by Mozart weaker than the Mass in c minor… 🙂

Best wishes from Copenhagen Airport, 2-hour layover, soon home after 26 hours of travelling – not so bad at the end, if you think that 200 years ago they travelled about half a year from Europe to Australia!
Alban

By: Guido

Guido — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:57:34 +0000

Agree very much so about Haydn being underrated – so much wonderful stuff by him. The Haydn D major is not one of them though – its completely anomalous to his oeuvre and would be one of his weakest works if it was actually by him (especially as it was composed in 1783). Why play it when the C major concerto is just so wonderful?

By: Michael Chen

Michael Chen — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:37:00 +0000

Absolutely agree with you Alban on the Haydn bit. From the astonishingly inventive Creation Oratorio to the “Seven Last Words of Christ “…and the kindred symphonies, piano sonatas, cello concertos, mass etc., Haydn is certainly one of the most under-appreciated, if not underrated composer. Ton Koopman was here in Boston and conducted some very delightful and spirited Haydn a couple of years back. I believe the Boston Symphony benefited from that encounter in learning about classical playing style. Simon ( Rattle ) has also been a lifelong fan of Haydn and did quite a bit of that here as well.

Thanks for sharing the Aussie bit with us. Am I correct in remembering Brett Dean to be an ex-Berliner Philharmoniker? Rest up and on to more Haydn!

All best,
Michael