Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Members Recordings - Pianist Corner Joseph Haydn: Sonata in e minor Hob.XVI:34

Hello, today I want to present you my recent recording of Haydn's piano sonata in e minor Hob.XVI:34. I'm looking forward to your feedbacks

http://youtu.be/yZEaN1SELc0

P.S. I've recorded the first movement already earlier. It was my first recording published on Youtube. Maybe you want to compare?

http://youtu.be/qRRSp4xj0Ak

On April 14 I have posted this recording, and today, five days later, there is still no reaction

It's a bit strange: my first recording presented here (Debussy: Reflets dans l'eau) caused a big "shitstorm", first there were lots of appreciation, but then everything turned into an epic "Podesta battle" around rolled chords, far away from the topic.... This "battle" would probably still go on if I hadn't asked the administration to close the thread. I got several feedbacks afterwards from people who were very sorry about all this and who encouraged me to post more recordings all the same.

As you see I'm back now, but it seems that I'm simply ignored.... First the shitstorm, now the silence -- is there nothing in the middle? I can't believe....

Don't take it personally, Tony. I don't know what it's like in Switzerland, but in the States, this is a busy time of year. Easter, Passover, midterms for those who are in school or teaching. For musicians, this can be a crazybusy time. For me personally, I started listening to your recording on the morning I first saw it posted, then realized I wouldn't have enough time to listen fully and comment, so I decided to come back to it later. Even today, I have to run out the door without listening to ANYTHING by ANYBODY!

I've noticed a general lack of activity in the PW forums that I check on everyday. Even RachFan's Dohnanyi "Widmung" (posted a month ago!) garnered only one comment. Perhaps the spate of e-citals (Pianist Corner Chopin Mazurkas, Nocturnes, Waltzes; the Adult Beginners Forum Joplin, Tchaikavsky, etc.) has caused some "comment fatigue"?

Lately, it seems there are a handful of people who are stirring the pot, and a smaller handful who are coming into the kitchen occasionally to see how things are coming along.

Oh, by the way, I liked what I heard of what I had time to listen to. I hope to have time to listen attentively and with appreciation when things quiet down.

--Andy

Hi, Tony007! My general reaction is that I could listen all day to your Haydn Sonatas -- all kinds of attention to the details which make this music spring to life, so to speak. Clean as a whistle, appropriate tempi, virtually no use of the damper pedal -- all IMO obligatory requirements for this literature. And I think you applied a totally appropriate sense of semi-improvisatory thought at certain junctures -- of course, it's not, but I believe that's the sense that Haydn wanted to project.

A few comments in which my view of the piece differs somewhat from your own -- I'm in total agreement with you on how the 1st movement "moves", from beginning to end. The 2nd movement I hear as somewhat more intimate; less declamatory - if only to provide more contrast to the 1st. And the 3rd movement I believe is a little more humorous in tone than what you brought to it; I think you could have more fun with the shifts from minor to major, and lean in slightly more on the dance-like qualities of the rondo.

But -- an excellent presentation, and thanks for sharing it!

Hi Tony007,

Cinnamonbear is right. Approaching semester end, many of the younger people who are college students are studying for final exams, turning in papers, etc. He noticed too that when I posted Dohnanyi's "Widmung", nothing happened! I think Tim commented though. It made me wonder if I wanted to post anything else at Piano World. Well, when I then posted the Bortkiewicz "Nocturne", you and others responded, which gave me a better feeling overall, so I (an 11 year member now) will continue to share my music here.

But more importantly, I thoroughly enjoyed your Haydn sonata. You have a wonderful articulation for this classical music, you have a full command of touch, you listen to every note you play, you always play for clarity and accuracy, and your evenness of execution makes me envious. I should add that your playing is expressive but within the boundaries of classical performance practices--played in good taste. I would agree with Tim that this is an excellent performance overall. Thanks for posting it!

David

Hi Andy!

Easter is not that "crazybusy" in Switzerland, we concentrate more on Christmas And our semesters are from August to January, and then from January to June. So Easter is rather quiet.... But I can understand very well your situation, and of course I don't expect you to achieve miracles I just wish you to be able to relax very soon!

I've read a few comments suggesting to close the "members recording section" of PW since there isn't enough activity. It would be a pity to do so! I like to come back to this section again and again, and I always find great stuff here!

Anyway: thanks a lot for answering in spite of being so busy, and for liking what you already heard, I'm glad!

With best wishes

Felix

Hi Tim Adrianson!

Thanks a lot for your very friendly and interesting feedback! I'm glad and proud about your general impression, and your remarks about certain details are very interesting to me! Yes, the second movement could sound rather differently, this "intimate option" makes sense to me! I always imagined this movement as sort of Recitativo, with lots of dramatic energy and declamation, which at a certain point leads to the restless motion of the third movement. But you are right: of course it would be possible to make the third movement "dance" more and to "celebrate" the shifts from minor to major. Maybe I was fasinated too much by the restless motion of this music? Anyway: it's great to have lots of possibilities with such masterworks, and there will never be a "version to end all versions" I simply and humbly tried to show what I imagine, and I feel honoured that you appreciate what I do!

Hi David!

Thank you so much for your very benevolent review of my Haydn recording, I'm proud and glad! And I'm relieved that my post has found some appreciation now. I have to admit that I'm also not able to listen to everything and to write intelligent comments about what I heard. But I come back to this forum with great pleasure again and again, enjoying to discover remarkable performances. So it's very good news to read that you will go on posting your music here!

Felix

Finally had time to listen through with no interruptions! Very nicely played! Wow! Crisp and clean and light. Expert hands at the keyboard, that's for sure!

As to the "touchy-feely" aspects that could be explored, I have to agree with Tim's comment that the second movement could be infused with a little more pathos, and the third with a little more humor. It seems to me that the overriding instruction in interpreting music from this period is "mind your manners," and, as one who does not appear to wear his heart on his sleeve, your innate ability to keep it all in check, coupled with your own cultural sensitivities, is on full display, here. And rightly so! Yet often in the second movement it seems to me that the composer tries to tug the heartstrings, then lightens it up in the third. I feel that very thing in this composition, as if Haydn were telling us a sob story in the second movement, then winking at us in the third.

Grist for the mill. I am not a musicologist or even a well-informed noodler, though I pretend to be one on Piano World. Take what I say with a grain of salt, and know that I agree completely regarding the importance of freedom of interpretation.

I really enjoyed listening to this. I'm eager to hear what comes next!

--Andy

Thanks a lot, Andy, for your very inspiring and interesting comment to my Haydn! I didn't need any "salt", I simply read it with great pleasure, feeling your benevolence and expertise at the same time

With best regards

Felix

Dear Felix,

as Cinnamonbear and others mentioned, please don't take a lack of comments for a lack of interest. There is only so much time everyone has, and if I would listen to all recordings I am curious about I would be doing nothing else all day! I guess it's similar for everyone. So we have to accept we do our work mainly for ourselves and having others appreciate it is just an "added bonus", albeit a nice one . That's the way I see it, at least!

I really admire your clear articulation, the clarity of your piano tone and your light and crisp articulation which matches this Sonata so well! Also, nice trills! I would like to echo the comments by others to search even more for the contrasting emotions in these movements, to indulge more in the intimacy of the second, and to enjoy the ambivalence of the final movement - at least for me, it always changes between a bit mysterious and joyful, light-hearted. But these are just some minor comments on a very good recording; thanks for sharing!

pianovirus

Felix,

I would really like to listen most of the recent member recordings including your Haydn. But unfortunately, YouTube has been banned by my government recently.

Hope they have a resolution with YouTube soon and I can start enjoying member recordings again.

Hakki, it's very sad to read such things.... I hope very much that such restrictions will soon disappear!

Best wishes

Tony007

Dear pianovirus,

thanks a lot for your long and interesting comment! First of all: I'm not complaing anymore about a lack of attention, not at all It was just strange at the beginning: first the endless "battle" around my first post, then the absolute silence.... But of course I understand that everybody is very busy, including myself

About the second and the third movement: I don't think that the Adagio is very intimate, I rather hear it as a Recitativo of an opera, directly leading into the restless "Aria" of the third movement. For me this sonata is "Sturm und Drang", even in the slow movement, I can feel lots of passion and tragedy in these chords and runs.... But who knows: sooner or later I'll come back to this work, and of course I'll remember and try your suggestions.... In the third movement, the contrast between E minor and major would deserve more attention, I completely agree. I wish I could always be free enough to realize the music with my hands as beautifully as I hear it in my mind.... But I think I'm not alone with my wish

Best regards

Felix

Hi Felix -

I've listened to your recording several times this past week, and have enjoyed it very much !!

My only comment relates to the pacing of the 3rd movement. It seems that you pause at the end of each section (i.e., measures 8, 18, 26, 40 etc.) even though Haydn doesn't (at least in my score) indicate a fermata in those measures. This detracts from the forward momentum and excitement of the piece, and after a while becomes a bit distracting. I was just wondering why you decided to do this.

Hi carey!

I'm very glad you liked my Haydn and even listened to it several times!

Yes, you are right, I deliberately "breathe" at the end of each section. I wouldn't call it a fermata (which of course is also not indicated in my Henle Edition), it's simply a moment of coming to an end and starting something new, like a "comma". This is not my first try to record the whole sonata, and when I listened to my earlier attempts, I always thought: "I have to breathe more!" Maybe I have started to exaggerate meanwhile? "Dosis facit venenum", that's what already the old Romans said I've listened to the 3d movement again after reading your remark, and I didn't think it was too much. But of course I'll have to pay attention to this point. Anyway: thanks a lot for your interest and benevolence!

Great job and thanks for posting this recording! Great clarity.

Hi decibel101, thanks a lot for your nice words, I'm very glad you like my recording

With best regards

Tony007

lol...a shitstorm...that sounds about right...though I never read the thread.

Tony007, what kind of comments are you looking for? We could comment on all the things you are doing well--but, I've never understood the point of that. If you are doing something well, you already know that because you've been working on making it that way.

There is always everything to improve, so is there an area/topic that you would like comments on?

Hi A443, I'm simply curious about any reaction There are lots of work behind this recording, and I know it's not bad. But it is very inspiring to read opinions, suggestions, so: feel free to tell me anything which comes to your mind when listening to my Haydn