HAYDN Newsletter - Haydn Society of North · PDF filehaydn society of north america newsletter...
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haydn society of north america newsletter Newsletter number february 2008 PROFILE Recording Haydn at cirmmt, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Photograph by Matthew Golem Taking Oxford to Montreal and Other Adventures in Virtual Acoustics by Tom Beghin September 2007–A group from McGill University leaves Montreal, Canada. Half of the team travels to Belgium to pick up an original 1798 Longman, Clementi & Co. piano from a private collection while the other half arrives in London and attends to a shipment of microphones, computers, loudspeakers, cables, and stands. Destination for both teams: the Holywell Music Room, Oxford. Purpose: to find out how the English instrument behaves in the historical room and to make a reference recording; then, to replace the instrument with multiple loudspeakers that generate frequencies from low to high; and finally, to capture and process the response of the hall to sinusoidal frequency sweeps that bounce off ceiling, floor, and walls, from all possible directions, using eight microphones in various listening positions, far and close, high and low. (These samplings take a full day of work and earplugs are a must for those present.) The result is a high-fidelity acoustical fingerprints of Europe’s oldest concert hall, dating from 1748, with spatial detail, a wide dynamic range, and a broad frequency spectrum. With these digital data, the team returns to Montreal and the Multimodal Shared Reality Laboratory of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (cirmmt), where they replicate both instrument and hall. Seated at a 2004 replica of the same Longman, Clementi & Co. grand, in a three-dimensional “dome” of twenty-four loudspeakers (shown in picture at left), the performer plays as if in the Holywell Music Room. As microphones pick up the sounds of the piano, the computer makes the fastest of calculations, and, applying “convolution” and “quasi-wave field synthesis,” sends reverberation responses identical to those in Oxford through the loudspeakers, for the performer to engage with, then and there. (The delay between actual sound and the response of the room is a negligible ten milliseconds at the most.) continued page 11 HAYDN society of north america
Transcript of HAYDN Newsletter - Haydn Society of North · PDF filehaydn society of north america newsletter...
haydnsocietyofnorthamericanewsletter �
Newsletternumber� february2008
P R O F I L E
Recording Haydn at cirmmt,
McGill University,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Photograph by Matthew Golem
Taking Oxford to Montreal and Other Adventures in Virtual Acousticsby Tom Beghin
September2007–AgroupfromMcGillUniversityleavesMontreal,Canada.HalfoftheteamtravelstoBelgiumtopickupanoriginal1798Longman,Clementi&Co.pianofromaprivatecollectionwhiletheotherhalfarrivesinLondonandattendstoashipmentofmicrophones,computers,loudspeakers,cables,andstands.Destinationforbothteams:theHolywellMusicRoom,Oxford.
Purpose:tofindouthowtheEnglishinstrumentbehavesinthehistoricalroomandtomakeareferencerecording;then,toreplacetheinstrumentwithmultipleloudspeakersthatgeneratefrequenciesfromlowtohigh;andfinally,tocaptureandprocesstheresponseofthehalltosinusoidalfrequencysweepsthatbounceoffceiling,floor,andwalls,fromallpossibledirections,usingeightmicrophonesinvariouslisteningpositions,farandclose,highandlow.(Thesesamplingstakeafulldayofworkandearplugsareamustforthosepresent.)
Theresultisahigh-fidelityacousticalfingerprintsofEurope’soldestconcerthall,datingfrom1748,withspatialdetail,awidedynamicrange,andabroadfrequencyspectrum.Withthesedigitaldata,theteamreturnstoMontrealandtheMultimodalSharedRealityLaboratoryoftheCentreforInterdisciplinaryResearchinMusicMediaandTechnology(cirmmt),wheretheyreplicatebothinstrumentandhall.
Seatedata2004replicaofthesameLongman,Clementi&Co.grand,inathree-dimensional“dome”oftwenty-fourloudspeakers(showninpictureatleft),theperformerplaysasifintheHolywellMusicRoom.Asmicrophonespickupthesoundsofthepiano,thecomputermakesthefastestofcalculations,and,applying“convolution”and“quasi-wavefieldsynthesis,”sendsreverberationresponsesidenticaltothoseinOxfordthroughtheloudspeakers,fortheperformertoengagewith,thenandthere.(Thedelaybetweenactualsoundandtheresponseoftheroomisanegligibletenmillisecondsatthemost.)continued page 11
HAY D Nsocietyofnorthamerica
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L E T T E R F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T
ItiswithgreatpleasureandasenseofsatisfactionthatIamabletowritethisletterforthefirstissueofthehsnaNewsletter.BeforeIreflectonthepastandcurrenteventsoftheSocietyIwishtothankseveralpeopleforhelpingtomakethisNewsletterpossible.First,thosewhosubmittedarticlesandlettersforinclusion:Tom Beghin,Anthony Martin,Armin Raab,Christopher HogwoodandDean Sutcliffe.Next,theCollegeofLiberalArtsoftheRochesterInstituteofTechnologyandGlennKist,interimdean,whohavegenerouslyunderwrittentheprintingofthisissue.Finally,letmeexpressmyhumblegratitudetonewslettereditorPeter AlexanderandgraphicdesignerBruce Ian Meader.Ihaveenjoyedworkingwiththemverymuch,andastheappearanceandcontentofthisNewslettertestify,wearefortunatetohavethesetalentedpeopleascolleagues.
Ourfirstyearhasbeenafruitfulone.Wehaveestablishedournot-for-profitstatus;welcomedaboutfiftymembers(tenofthemlifetimemembers)representingmusicology,theory,performanceandLiebhaber;electedtopHaydnscholarsfromtheu.s.andCanadatoserveonourBoardofDirectorsandasofficers;andinvitedcolleaguesfromabroadtoformulateaninternationalAdvisoryBoard,allofwhomenthusiasticallyacceptedtheinvitations.PleasenotethelistofthesepeopletotheleftandjoinmeinthankingthemfortheirdedicationtoHaydnscholarshipandperformance.
IrecentlycompletedthepaperworkforregisteringtheHaydnSocietyofNorthAmericaEndowmentFundwithabrokeragefirm.Youhavedonatedover$500tothisfundtodate,andIhopethatyouwillcontinuetobegenerousinbuildingthisimportantlegacyforfutureHaydnscholarship.ThesuggestionandimpetusforthehsnaEndowmentFundisinlargepartduetoourWebsite(rit.edu/haydnsociety),whichmanyofyouhavevisitedandcontinuetoconsultforrecentnewsandevents.Weinviteyoutosendinformationtopostonthesite([email protected]).continued on page 3
OfficersMichaelRuhlingPresident 2007–2008
BenjaminKorstvedtVice President 2008–2009
RebeccaMarchandSecretary 2007–2008
JaneEllsworthTreasurer2008–2009
DirectorsMichelleFillion2008–2009EthanHaimo2007–2008MichaelLamkin2008–2009ElaineSisman2008–2009JamesWebster2007–2008
Advisory BoardChristopherHogwood2008–2010DenisMcCaldin2008–2009ArminRaab2008–2010WalterReicher2008–2010W.DeanSutcliffe2008–2009
Newsletter EditorPeterAlexander
Graphic DesignerBruceIanMeader
SupportTheHaydnSocietyofNorthAmericaNewsletterisunderwrittenbytheRochesterInstituteofTechnologyCollegeofLiberalArts,GlennKist,interimdean,Rochester,NewYork.
R•I •T
Web Siterit.edu/haydnsociety
Submissions TheHaydnSocietyofNorthAmerica NewsletterisissuedinFebruaryand Augusteachyear.Submissionsshould besentasmsWorddocuments,and photographsinjpegformat(preferably color),attachedtoanemailsentto [email protected],withtheheading Newsletter Submission.Deadlinesare December15forFebruaryissuesand June15forAugustissues.
Weencouragemembersto submititemsforinclusionfrom thefollowingcategories:
• Recentaccomplishmentsof Societymembers(awards,grants, publications,etc.) • Conference/Symposium announcementsandreports • Callsforpapers,reports,etc. • Announcementofrecentor forthcomingpublications relatedtoHaydn • Reviewsofpublications (500–800words,please) • ReviewsofrecordingsofHaydn’s music(500–800words,please) • Haydnconcertandfestival announcements
Pleasemakesuredateditems correspondtonewsletterissuedates.
Inadditiontotheseitems,wewould liketoincludeineacheditionofour newsletteranarticleregarding performanceaspectsofHaydn’smusic, suitableforscholarsandperformers ofmanylevels(e.g.communitychoral andorchestralconductorsand musicians,chambermusicians, educators,musicconnoisseurs,etc.). Thearticleshouldbeabout1500words, andincludeabriefannotated bibliographyofadditionalmaterials onthetopicthatwillbehelpfuland informativeforscholars.
Forquestions,pleasecontact PeterAlexander,Editor 319 384-0072 [email protected] or MichaelRuhling,President 585 475-2014 [email protected]
Letter from the President continued from page 2
IenjoyedseeingmanyofyouattheamsAnnualMeetinginNovember,whichfeaturedseveralHaydnSocietymembers.IknowyoualljoinmeincongratulatingTom BeghinandCaryl Clarkfortheirinterestingandinformativepresentations,andespeciallyJames WebsterforbeingnamedHonoraryMember,andBathia ChurginforherselectionasCorrespondingMember.Itismostfittingthatthesescholarswererecognizedfortheiryearsoftirelessandgroundbreakingservicetothefieldofmusicology.
James Webster, recipient of the Bathia Churgin, recipient of the
ams Honorary Member award ams Corresponding Member award
Itisclearthatwehavesomeexcitingtimesaheadofus.BythetimeyoureceivethisNewsletteryouwillnodoubtbepackingforourfirstconferenceinClaremont,California,incollaborationwiththeSocietyforEighteenth-CenturyMusic.Ithanktheofficersandboardofthesecmforagreeingtothejointconference,andthecommitteesthatorganizedtheconference,whichincludedmyself,Peter Alexander, Bertil van Boer, Stephen C. Fisher,Michael Lamkin,andMary Sue Morrow.Theselectioncommitteewasquitepleasedaboutthenumberandqualityofsubmissions,andIcongratulatethosewhosepaperswereselectedfortheconference.WearealsobeginningtomakeplansforourHaydnjahr2009Conference,tentativelyscheduledforBostoninlateMay,coincidingwiththeBostonHandelandHaydnSociety’sperformanceofThe Creation,oneofmanysuchperformancesofthisworktakingplaceworldwideonHaydn’sdeathday.
Ifanyofyouareinterestedinservingonthe2009Conferencecommittees,pleasecontactme([email protected])orSocietySecretaryRebeccaMarchand([email protected]).
Haveawonderfulandfruitfulyear.
Sincerely,MichaelRuhling,President
� haydnsocietyofnorthamericanewsletter haydnsocietyofnorthamericanewsletter �
F R O M T H E B O A R D
Haydn has never
quite been forgiven
for the enormous
popular success
he achieved
Musical compliments
that have lain
virtually unnoticed
and unplayed for
more than 200 years
Claiming Haydn’s Rightful Place continued from page 4
ThepresenceofsignificantothersontheViennesescenearoundhistimeandthehistoricalmodelsthathavearisentoaccountforthis(the“greattriumvirate”)haveundoubtedlycontributedmuchtothissituation.
ItseemsthatHaydnhasneverquitebeenforgivenfortheenormouspopularsuccessheachieved;itissomethingweseemtofindhardtoenterintoimaginatively.Ifanyonedoubtsthatthisstrainstillsurvives,tryreadingtheaccountofHaydninRichardTaruskin’sOxford History of Western Music. Yettherehasneverbeensomuchhigh-qualityworkbeingproducedonourcomposer.Sometimesthistakestheformofthematicstudies(IamcurrentlyreadingMelanieLowe’sPleasure and Meaning in the Classical Symphony),orthereistherecentCambridge Companion to Haydn,editedbyCarylClark,withallitswonderfulnewleadsforinterpretation.
Buttherenewedvitalityinmusictheoryisalsoproducingmuchexcitingwork,whetheronsonataformsorontheuseofgalantformulae.AlsorecentlyI’veheardatremendousrecordingoftheop.9quartetsbytheLondonStringQuartet,whohavetakenanimaginativeleapbybasingtheirperformancesnotontheeditionoftheJoseph Haydn Werke(andweHaydnistsareveryluckytohavesuchaneditiontoworkwith),butonaLongmanandBroderippublicationoftheworksinLondonin1790.Expectplentymoreinitiativesandfreshissuestodebate,andthehsnawillplayamajorpartinstimulatingthese.
Compliments to Dr. Haydnby Christopher Hogwood
TheinauguralissueofanewHaydnnewsletterseemsaperfectopportunitytogivenoticeofasetofmusicalcomplimentstoHaydnthathavelainvirtuallyunnoticedandcertainlyunplayedformorethan200years.
ManyworkswerededicatedtoHaydnduringhislifetime,oftenbyaspiringpupilsorcolleagues.Mozart’ssixstringquartetsandBeethoven’sop.2sonatasarethebestknown,butthelistincludesworksbyPleyel,Gyrowetz,Wölfl,Cramer,boththeRombergs,Eberl,Eybler,Hummel,Ries,andmanyothers.TherewasevenaposthumouscomplimentfromJohanWikmanson:adedicatoryletteraddedbyhiswidowtohisop.1stringquartets,whichwerepublishedafterhisdeath.
AparticularlydiscreteformofflatterycamefromPavelWranitzkyintheformoftwoprintedsetsofTrois Divertissemens/pour/Deux Violons, Viole, Violoncelle, Flute/Hautbois, deux Cors & Basse, publishedin1800byJohannAndré.Althoughthesecarriednoexplicitdedication,thetitleexplainedthattheyare“amplifications”ofsixofHaydn’sbest-knownstringquartets,opp.71and74.continued on page 6
F R O M T H E B O A R D
Haydn was a colossus, a pivotal figure
in the history of
Western art music.
The Joseph Haydn-Institutby Armin Raab
Asmostofyoumayknow,theJosephHaydn-Institut(www.haydn-institut.de)wasfoundedin1955bysomeofthemostdistinguishedHaydnscholarsandmusicologistsofthetime,includingJensPeterLarsen,AnthonyvanHoboken,andFriedrichBlume,alongwiththemusicpublisherGünterHenle.ThecompleteeditionJoseph Haydn Werke, the institute’s principaltheinstitute’sprincipaltask,wastobecomeakindofflagshipeditionfortheHenlepublishinghouse,establishedin1948.Theeditionwillconsistof111volumes,93ofwhichhavebeenpublishedbynow.
ThelatestreleaseisthetwovolumesofDie Jahreszeiten;thesecondgreatGermanoratorioDie Schöpfungisattheproofreadingstageandwillcomeoutin2008.Someotherimportantvolumesareinpreparation:thestringquartetsopp.42, 50,and54–55,editedbyJamesWebster;Haydn’stheatricalmusicandotherworksforchorusandorchestra;symphoniesfromabout1766to1769;and,asahighlightfor2009,L’isola disabitata,theonlyoperastillabsentfromouredition.Along-standinggapwasclosedthisyearbythepublicationofthefirstoftheeagerlyawaitedcriticalreportstothepianosonatasvolumes.ThelateGeorgFeder,editorofthethreesonatavolumesandheadoftheHaydn-Institutforthreedecades,wasabletofinishtheworkonlyafewweeksbeforepassingawayinDecember2006.
ThoughbelongingtoOldEurope’sheritage,theHaydn-InstituthasalwaysbeeninclosecontactwiththeNewWorld.ThreeNorthAmericanHaydnscholarsaremembersofourboardoftrustees:ElaineSisman(ColumbiaUniversity);TomBeghin,Belgianbybirth,butlecturingatMontreal’sMcGill-University;andJamesWebster(CornellUniversity),whoisoneoftheboard’svicechairmen.OthermembersofthenewHaydnSociety,likeStephenFisherandSterlingMurray,haveworkedaseditorsontheHaydnedition.By2009,wehope,thisconnectionwillhavebecomeevencloser!
Claiming Haydn’s Rightful Placeby Dean Sutcliffe
Thefoundingofhsnawastimely,allowingusjustenoughofarun-uptotheHaydnbicentenarycelebrationsin2009.TheseshouldenabletheSociety–andHaydnscholarship–notjusttoconsolidatebuttoexpand,especiallyiftheexpectedraftofconferenceseventuates.IhopetheseandtheactivitiesoftheSocietywillenableustoclaimperhapsevenmoreforHaydnthanwedoalready.
Ihaveoftensensedaslightlyguarded,evenbashfultone,inwritingaboutHaydn,ahedgingofpraiseandenthusiasm.Haydnwasacolossus,apivotalfigureinthehistoryofWesternartmusic,andwecouldbemorerelaxedandconfidentinassertingthis.continued on page 5
� haydnsocietyofnorthamericanewsletter haydnsocietyofnorthamericanewsletter �
F R O M T H E B O A R D
A compliment
from the highest levels
of Viennese
musical society
Compliments to Dr. Haydn continued from page 5
Wranitzkyexpandedtheensembletonineplayersbyaddingflute,oboe,twohorns,anddoublebass,makingitoneofthelargerdivertimentoscoringsfortheperiod.Theresultswerepublishedin1800,buthavesincebeenoverlookedbyperformersuntilthestimulusofananniversary(Wrantizkydied26September1808)hasrecentlyfocusedattentiononthem.
PavelWranitzky,likehisyoungerbrotherAnton,wascentraltothemusicalworldofVienna.Heheldapositionatcourt,composingfortheemperor’swife,MarieTherese,andwasinchargeofoperaticmusicfirstintheKärntnertortheaterandlaterintheBurgtheater.HaydninsistedthatPavelWranitzkytakechargeasconcertmasteroftheVienneseperformancesofThe Creation(1799, 1800),andatBeethoven’srequestheconductedthepremiereofthatcomposer’sFirstSymphony(2April1800).HehadalsobeenamemberofthesameMasonicLodgeasMozart,‘ZurgekröntenHoffnung’,andhelpedConstanzesortoutMozart’slegacyindealingswithAndré.
ThemusicalcomplimenttoHaydnthereforecamefromwithinthehighestlevelsofViennesemusicalsociety,andcannothaveexistedandbeenpublishedwithouttheapprovalofHaydnhimself.Inanycase,weknowfromtheassistancethatHaydngavetoWranitzkyinproposinghischamberworksforpublicationinLondonbyJohnBlandthatheapprovedofhimasacomposeraswellasaconcertdirector.
Thearrangementsarefarfromslavish:Wranitzkymakesenterprisingchanges,re-allocatesmusicfromstringstowinds,addsidiomaticpartsforthehorns,supplementsHaydn’smarkingswithadditionalanddifferentmarksofexpression,andcreatesanaddedelementofconcertanteinterplaytosuitthenewcontextandambience.Whilethesetextswillbeofinterestfortheirreadingtoplayerswhoperformtheoriginalquartetversions,thisrecastingpresentstheminalmostsymphonicconcertdressandopensthemupforlarger-scalepublicperformance.
TheeleganceandefficiencyofWranitzky’swritingshowninthedivertimentiwillhopefullydrawmorelistenersthisyeartoexploretheremainderofhisoutput(seewww.wranitzky.comformoredetails).FrançoisJosephFétiswrotein1868:“ThemusicofWranitzkywasinfashionwhenitwasnewbecauseofhisnaturalmelodiesandbrilliantstyle.Hetreatstheorchestrawell,especiallyinsymphonies.Irecallthat,inmyyouth,hisworksheldupverywellincomparisonwiththoseofHaydn.Theirprematureabandonmentoftodayhasbeenformeasourceofastonishment.”Ihopethisanniversaryyearwillmanagetoreturnhismusictofavor.continued on page 7
F R O M T H E B O A R D
P E R F O R M A N C E
P E R S P E C T I V E S
The New Esterházy Quartet
Compliments to Dr. Haydn continued from page 6
ThefirstsetofthreedivertimentihasrecentlybeenpublishedinaneweditionpreparedbythepresentwriterforEditionhh(www.editionhh.co.uk).ThearrangementofHaydn’sop.71no.1willbeheard(probablyforthefirsttimesincethecomposer’slifetime,andalmostcertainlyforthefirsttimeinAmerica)inaconcerttobegiveninNewYork’sZankelHallatCarnegieHallat7pmSaturday,1March2008,bytheensembleknownasTheAcademy–aprogramofCarnegieHall,theJuilliardSchool,andtheWeillMusicInstitute(www.acjw.org).
TheprogramwillalsoincludeHaydn’sSymphonyNo.22inE-flatmajor(‘ThePhilosopher’),theAmericanpremiereofthecompleteballetmusicforLa Revue de CuisinebyBohuslavMartin,andthesuitefromStravinsky’sPulcinella.
Some Questions and a Few Answers aboutPerforming Haydn QuartetsReflections on Time Well Spent with Haydnby Anthony Martin
TheNewEsterházyQuartet(www.newesterhazy.org)isamidstaneighteen-concertHaydncycleofallsixty-eightstringquartets.Wehadalreadyplayedtogetherinmanyandvariousensembleswhenthejoyfulnecessityofthisprojectarosewiththeapproachof2009,the200thanniversaryofHaydn’sdeath.IneachofourrehearsalsandconcertswefaceanumberofissuesthatallperformersofHaydnquartetsshare.Inthespaceofthisarticlethereisopportunitytoraisejustafewquestionsandofferevenfeweranswers;thebookonthesubjectisyettobewritten.
Firstofall,whatinstrumentsshallwebringtothetableforthisfeast?Forustheanswerisclear:instrumentsthatapproachthoseforwhichHaydnwrotehisquartets:fiddlesstrungwithgut,strippedoflatermodificationsandadditions(suchasthechin-andshoulder-restsandendpinsthatareappropriateforthenineteenth-andtwentieth-centuryvirtuosorepertoire),andlighter,moreflexiblebowsonpre-Tourtemodels.ThisisnottosaythatHaydncannotbeplayedwiththemodernversionsoftheviolinfamily,orevencontemporaryelectricviolins,orelectronicallysynthesizedsounds,orsaxophones.ButbyusinginstrumentscontemporarytoHaydnwediscovernotonlythetonecolorshewasthinkingin,butalsomodesofarticulationandphrasingthatmightbemoreappropriatetohiscreationsthanthelongerlinesoflatermusic.continued on page 8
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P E R S P E C T I V E S
Seated, with
instruments in hand
and music before
our eyes, how do we
proceed to prepare
a performance?
Some Questions and a Few Answers continued from page 7
Whenitcomestimetoplay,howshallwesit?Evidenceisscant,butitisclearthatthenormalseatingforaquartet(likethatofanorchestra)haschangedoverthepastcentury.Wesit,asdothecontemporarySchönbergQuartetofAmsterdam,theGrillerQuartetinthemid-twentiethcentury,theKneiselandJoachimQuartetsofthelatenineteenthcentury,andtheMüllerQuartetoftheearlynineteenthcentury,withthetwoviolinsvis-à-visinfront,thecellobehindthefirstviolinandtheviolabehindthesecond.Thusnotonlyarethetwoviolinsheardmoreindependentlyfromeachother,butthetrebleissupporteddirectlybythebass,thelowervoicesbothprojectfrombehind,andtheinnervoicessittogetherasaunit.Notethatuntilstringquartetplayingbecameapublicperformanceratherthanaprivaterecreation,thisseatingalsoputsthetwoviolinsnexttoeachother,withthequartetseatedinacircle.
Now,whatmusictoputonourstands?Thisisalwaysavexingproblem,usuallysolvedbypragmaticconsiderations,suchastheavailabilityofthedesiredquartetinwhatevereditionthereisathand.AvailableeditionsofpartsaretheoldPeters,editedbyAndreasMoserandHugoDechert;DilettoMusicale,editedbyReginaldBarrett-AyresandH.C.RobbinsLandon;Henle,withvariouseditors;andthenewPeters,editedbySimonRowland-Jones.TheoldPeterseditionwaspublishedinfourmiscellaneouslyorderedvolumes,theDilettobyindividualquartet,andtheHenleandnewPetersgroupedbyopusnumbers.Eachedition’svirtuesanddrawbacksdeserveathoroughdiscussion,butinbriefthenewPeterseditionsseemtobeveryconscientiouslyeditedandlaidoutforperformance.Furthermore,theyaresoldwithscoreincluded.However,aswiththeHenleedition,notallquartetsareavailableyet.
Seated,withinstrumentsinhandandmusicbeforeoureyes,howdoweproceedtoprepareaperformance?Naturallyasstringplayerswetendtofirstconcernourselveswithbowingsandfingerings,bothasindividualsandasagroup.Haydngivesusnoindicationsofupanddownbows,andveryfewsuggestionsforfingering,andthoseareforspecialeffects.AfamiliaritywithLeopoldMozart’sbookonviolinplayingandotherstringtreatisesfromthelateeighteenthcenturycanhelpprovideastartingpointforwhattheoreticallywouldbeexpected,andafamiliaritywiththeresponseofperiodinstrumentswouldalsohelptoinformpracticalchoicesofbowdirectionanddistributionaswellasshiftinganduseofopenstrings.Mostimportant,ofcourse,ismusicalintentandtaste,forwhichperformers,notbooksorinstruments,musttakeresponsibility.InhonoringtheletterofHaydn’snotation,andwhatwecanreadincontemporarysources,westillmustalwaysseektodiscovertheuniqueexpressivecontentofeachindividualmovement,theexpressiveintentofitscomposer.continued on page 9
P E R F O R M A N C E
P E R S P E C T I V E S
Some Questions and a Few Answers continued from page 8
Nevertheless,therearerecurrentquestionsthatHaydn’snotationevenatitsmostspecificraises.Whatisadot,andwhatisadash?Dothesesignstelluswhattodo,orwhatnottodo?ThisquestionhasbeensimplifiedbytheresearchofRobertRiggs,whohasreachedtheconclusionthatforMozartandBeethoven(andforHaydnaswell,hehastoldmeincorrespondence)thereisnoessentialdifferencebetweendotsanddashes(daggers,wedges,strokes,Keilen).Forhisconvincingargument,pleaseconsultthearticlereferencedbelow.Thathashsettled,therestillremainsthequestionofwhatinformationisprovidedbyadotorstroke.Doesitprescribeaspecificoff-oron-stringbowing?Doesitmodifythefrontand/orthebacksideofthenote,thatis,itsattackand/orrelease?Doesitsuggestanincreaseordecreaseofemphasis?Coulditalsosimplyproscribetheadditionoftheslursthatawelltrainedeighteenth-centuryviolinistwouldbeexpectedtastefullytoapplytootherwiseunarticulatedpassages?
Anotheropenquestionisthatofdynamics.Towhatextentaredynamicsuniform?Thatis,ifonelinehasaforteshouldtheothers?Andwhatdoesfortemean,anyway?Isitnecessarilysubito?Coulditbeapproachedviacrescendo?Orisitsometimesanindicationofthe(softer)beginningofa(louder)passagewhichshouldbeachievedviacrescendo?(Thisparadoxicalinterpretationisoccasionallyusefulwhentheprintedforteisclearlynottheheightofaphrase,butonlyitsbeginning.)Isthedynamicallyunmarkedopeningofamovementautomaticallyforte?(ThisistheassumptionofthenewPetersedition,butitisnotalwaystoourtaste.)Isfortesometimesmerelytutti,andthusthedynamicissuppliedbytheinstrumentationwithoutextraeffortbytheindividualplayers?Doesasforzandoapplytothebeginningofanote,theentirenote,orbeyondthenote?
Perhapsthe mostrecurrentquestionisthatofrepeats.Forbi-partitesonata-allegromovementsHaydnprovidesusawiderangeofnotatedschemes:bothhalvesrepeated,firsthalfonlyrepeated,eitherhalfwithfirstandsecondendings,andsecondhalfrepeatedbeforethelastbarisreached.Sometimesanadjustmentindynamicsortimingintheapproachtothelastbarofahalfwillmakearepeatmorepalatable.TheconservativesoftheNewEsterházyQuartethavethusfarprevailedovertheliberalsinrejectingthecreationoffirstandsecondendingsforparticularlyawkward-soundingrepeats.Ifrepeatsaretrulyoptional,whydowealwaystaketheminminuetmovements,butneveronda capo?Andwherebothhalvesofasonata-allegromovementaregivenrepeats,whywouldwetakeonlythefirstrepeat,whentheaabformisnotatedunequivocallyinothermovements?continued on page 10
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Some Questions and a Few Answers continued from page 9
Repeatscanalsobeanissueinprogramming,sinceartislongandlifeisshort.AtthemomenttheNewEsterházyQuartetplaysHaydnasopenerandcloserandin-between,soitisneveraquestionofwarminguponHaydn,withoutrepeats,inordertogettothemeatoftheconcert.Butitdoesseemaformofdisrespect,bothtoaudiencesandtothecomposer,toforeshortenHaydnbyconfininganabridgedversionofoneofhisquartetstothefrontendofaprogram.Thisisamoredifficultproblemthananyoftheotherstoucheduponhere,howtogiveHaydnhisdueinthecompanyofthelatercomposerswhooweeverythingtohim.We–readers,listeners,andplayers–knowthattimespentwithHaydnistimewellspentwithnotmerelyagreatcomposer,butwithanexperienced,witty,profound,entertaining,andsupremelycivilizedhumanbeing.
Suggested Reading
LeopoldMozart,A Treatise on the
Fundamental Principles of Violin
Playing,trans.byEdithaKnocker
(OxfordUniversityPress).
Essentialreadingforanystringplayer,
andinformativeonmanyaspects
ofeighteenthcenturymusicallife
forallothers.
RobertRiggs,“Mozart’sNotation
ofStaccatoArticulation:
ANewAppraisal,”The Journal of
Musicology15 (1997): 230–277.
Readthisandnolongerneedtoask,
“IsthisadaggerIseebeforeme?”
RobinStowell,ed.,The Cambridge
Companion to the String Quartet
(CambridgeUniversityPress).
Acollectionofenlighteningessays
onhistoricalandtechnicalmatters.
A.Ehrlich,Das Streich-Quartett in
Wort und Bild(A.H.Payne).Apictorial
guidetostringquartetspublishedin
Leipzigin1898,usefulforstudying
historicalquartetseating.
ReginaldBarrett-Ayres,Joseph Haydn
and the String Quartet (Schirmer
Books).AttemptstoputHaydn’s
quartetsintoawiderViennesecontext.
HansKeller,The Great Haydn
Quartets (Braziller).Stronglyheldand
arguedopinionsfromafierceand
uncompromisingmind,alternately
exhilaratingandinfuriating,essential
foranyonewhocaresdeeplyabout
Haydnquartets.
ChristophWolff,ed.,The String
Quartets of Haydn, Mozart, and
Beethoven: Studies of the Autograph
Manuscripts (HarvardUniversityPress).
Noteparticularlytheessaysby
Somfai,Webster,andFederonHaydn’s
quartetautographs.
DavidYoung,ed.,Haydn the Innovator
(ArcMusic).Attentionisdirected
tothelastessayinthisgentlemanly
Britishcollection,“PerformingHaydn’s
Quartets”byAlanGeorge(violistof
theFitzwilliamQuartet),whichcan
profitablybereadinconjunctionwith
thisarticle.
W.DeanSutcliffe,Haydn: String
Quartets, Op. 50 (CambridgeUniversity
Press).Pars pro toto,themethod
andconclusionsofthisin-depth
studyextendfarbeyondthesixHaydn
quartetsconsideredhere.
ThemembersoftheNewEsterházy
Quartetareinternationallyknown
period-instrumentandchambermusic
specialistsKatiKymeandLisaWeiss,
violins;AnthonyMartin,viola;and
WilliamSkeen,cello.Asindividuals,
theplayersperforminthetopechelon
ofearlymusicensemblessuchas
Orchestraofthe18thCentury,
theBachEnsemble,ArtariaQuartet,
SmithsonianChamberPlayers,
ArcadianAcademy,theGöttingen
FestivalOrchestra,&MusicaAngelica.
Foundedin2006,theNewEsterházy
Quartettakesitsnamefromthe
HungarianestatewhereJosephHaydn
livedandworkedfornearlythree
decades,andfromthenoblefamily
whowerehisemployersandpatrons.
ThenamealsohonorsQuartetto
Esterhazy,theground-breaking
historicalstringquartetfromthe1970s,
withtheblessingofthatensemble’s
eminentfounderandleader,
JaapSchroeder.
TheNewEsterházyQuartethas
recentlyembarkedonaperformance
cycleofall68oftheHaydn’sstring
quartets.Theconcertswillspan
twoseasons,culminatingin2009,
the200thanniversaryofHaydn’s
death.Thisisthefirstcomplete
period-instrumentHaydncycleever
performedinNorthAmerica.
P R O F I L E
Taking Oxford to Montreal continued from page 1
InhisperformanceofthebigE-flatMajorgrandconcertsonataHob.xvi:52, writtenbyHaydnfortheLondon-basedprofessionalpianistThereseJansen, theperformerplaysforanimaginaryaudienceinvirtualEnglishconcert hallacoustics,whichenvelopthelazilydampened,resonantthough somewhatmuffledsoundsofhisEnglishpiano.Thesesounds,finally,are recordedinmultifoldchannels(“surround”),soastoconveythesound- envelopedambienceintherichestpossibleway.
Thisadventurerepresentsthelastchapterofacompleterecordingof Haydn’ssolokeyboardmusicattheSchulichSchoolofMusicatMcGill UniversitywithMarthadeFranciscoasrecordingproducer/Tonmeister, WieslawWoszczykasvirtualacousticsengineer/architect,andmyself asperformer/musichistorian.OthercollaboratorsincludeMcGillgraduate studentsErinHelyard,DoyuenKo,RyanMiller,andJeremyTusz.
Thepremiseoftheprojectistomatchaninstrumentwithacertain socio-historicalcontextofperformance,andtocastbothinanappropriate acousticalenvironment.Rejectingthetraditionalmodelofone-keyboard- fits-all–eitherthegenericfortepianoorthemodern-daySteinway– theprojectfeaturesanarrayofseveninstruments,manyofwhichwerebuilt fortheoccasion:• Vienneseharpsichord,JohannLeydecker,Vienna,1755,replicabyMartin Pühringer,Haslach,2004(withtheidiomaticViennese“shortoctave”)•Saxonclavichord,ca.1760,byJorisPotvlieghe,Tollembeek,2003 • French-styledoublemanualharpsichord,ca.1770,byYvesBeaupré, Montreal,2007 • Squarepiano(Tafelklavier),IgnazKober,Vienna,1788,replicaby ChrisMaene,Ruiselede,2007 • Viennesefortepiano,AntonWalter,Vienna,1782,withStossmechanik, replicabyChrisMaene,Ruiselede,2005 • Thesameinstrument(modeledafterMozart’s)withaPrellmechanik, “modernizing”ittoafortepianoofthe1790s• Englishgrandpiano,Longman,Clementi&Co.,1798,replicaby ChrisMaene,Ruiselede,2004.
Matchingthekeyboardsisa“collection”ofrooms,selectedforacoustical characteraswellashistoricalrelevanceforHaydnormorebroadly eighteenth-centurychambermusicperformance: • TheMusicRoomandtheCeremonialRoomofEsterháza(Fertöd,Hungary)• TwoprivateroomsinHaydn’shouseinEisenstadt• AsalonoftheEsterházyPalaceinEisenstadt• APrunkraumoftheAlbertinainVienna• TheFestsaaloftheLobkowitzPalaisinVienna• ThedrawingroomoftheChâteauRamezay,theeighteenth-century Governor’sMansioninMontreal• HolywellMusicRoominOxford continued on page 12
�2 haydnsocietyofnorthamericanewsletter
O N T H E H O R I Z O N
Upcoming Events
HaydnSocietyofNorthAmerica/SocietyforEighteenthCenturyMusicConferenceFebruary28–March2, 2008Details:secm.org
TheNewEsterházyQuartetisengagedinaprojecttoperformall68Haydnquartets.Performancedetailslistedatwww.newesterhazy.orgorrit.edu/haydnsociety
33rdannualClassicalMusicFestial,Eisenstadt,AustriaJuly30–August16, 2008Details:cmfusf.arts.usf.edu
Recent/Forthcoming Publications
FloydandMargaretGraveThe String Quartets of Joseph Haydn.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2006
KathleenLamkinEsterházy Musicians 1790 to 1809: Considered from New Sources in the Castle Forchtenstein Archives, Vol 6Eisenstädter Haydn-BerichteSchneider:Tutzing,2007
FloydGrave“Recuperation,Transformation,andtheTranscendenceofMajoroverMinorintheFinaleofHaydn’sStringQuartetOp.76No.1.”Eighteenth-Century Music5/1(March2008;inpress)
BathiaChurginandMarySueMorrow,editorsThe Symphonic Repertoire, Vol.1: The Eighteenth Century SymphonyBloomington:IndianaUniversityPress,2008(forthcoming)
Taking Oxford to Montreal continued from page 11
Theobjectivehasbeentocombineroomsandinstrumentstowardsinterpretationsthathaveaspecificrhetoricalorcommunicativeintent.Thus,thesplendoroftheEsterházaCeremonialRoomandthemagnificentFrenchdouble-manualharpsichordinvitemetomakemygesturesmoreformalasIplayoffanewlypublishedprintofsonatas(Hob.xvi:21–26,forNicolausEsterházy)formyownimaginarypatronorprince,inthecompanyofseveralfamilymembersorhighlyrankedservants.Incontrast,themoreintimateandacousticallyabsorptiveAlbertinaPrunkraum,withitsfine,recentlyrestoredsilkcoveringsonthewalls,evokestheprivatesurroundingsofayoungprincesssittingatherexquisiteTafelklavierwithmusicteacher,governess,ormother-in-lawencouraginglyatherside,readingthroughHaydn’sfinemusicalletters(Hob.xvi:40-42,forthefifteen-yearoldMarieEsterházy).
Thetenprograms,eachwithadistincttitle(“TheMusicLesson,”“VisitingHaydn’sWorkshop,”“TheLondonScene,”etc.)exploredifferentmodesofperformingandlistening.Together,theyrevealcomplementarywindowsontoeighteenth-centurymusickingandshowcasetheinexhaustibletalentofHaydnthe“rhetoricalman”(anepithetcoinedbyRichardLanhamandaptlyappliedtoHaydnbyElaineSisman).
Forthefirsttime,thedescribedtechniquesof“virtualacoustics,”arapidlydevelopingfieldintheworldofsoundengineering,areappliedtoaclassicalmusicrecordingthatistobereleasedcommercially.Theresultingsounds,therefore,mustbeconvincing,ornatural.Atthesametime,however,theprojectinvitesthelistenertoreconsiderandpossiblyredefinetheseveryterms.Haveacousticsremainedunderappreciatedinourassessmentsofmusicalstyleandperformance?Canmodernrecordingtechniquesprovidewaystorevealalternativecontextsfor“historicallistening”?Arewereadytoexpandourstereophonicexpectationsofrecordedsoundandexplorefuller,moreintegratedsonicimagesofinstrument,room,andmusicalinterpretation?
TheresearchsideoftheprojectwasfundedbytheSocialSciencesandHumanitiesResearchCouncilofCanadaandtheFondsQuébecoisdelarecherchesurlasociétéetlaculture.TherecordingswillbereleasedbytheCanadianlabelAnalektaintheFallof2008,incelebrationofthe2009HaydnYear.Thecomplete12-sacd-boxwillincludeextensivelinernotes,advd(featuringa“makingof”aswellassomevideotapedcompleteperformances)andanappendix-cd(withoneshorttrack,theAndanteforMusicalClock,Hob.xix:10,performedonseveninstrumentsinsevenrooms,foratotalofforty-ninecombinations).Thesacdformat(SuperAudioCompactDisc,surroundsound)alsoallowsforstereophoniclisteningthrougharegularcd-player.
