Desert Island Discs

[sbarber49]

That is ORYX EXP 5.

 

Three anon faburdens and a Tiento by Peraza at Covarrubias, Spain.

Scheidt at Frederikborg Palace, Denmark.

Louis Marchand on a Cliquot at Souvigny

Purcell at Adlington Hall.

Handel on a claviorganum

Samuel Wesley at Rotherhithe,

Pachelbel at Trebel.

Buxtehude at Steinkirchen.

J S Bach at Neuenfelder.

J S Bach at Arlesheim.

 

Played by Chaplet, Chapuis, Jackson, Michael Thomas, Danby, Helmut Winter, Saorgin, Schonstedt, and Rogg.

 

It probably cost me at least £1.

Loved these recordings - I had some EPs from the series as well as one or two of the LPs. Have any of them been re-issued on CD?

[pwhodges]

I have a boxed set of CDs ("Historic Organs of Europe") containing:

 

Saorgin @ Malaucene, Bastia & Brescia

Chapuis @ Marmoutier & St Maximin

Winter @ Altenbruch & Trebel

Chapelet @ Covarrubias, Palma (St Agusti & St Geroni) & Trujillo

 

Paul

[MusingMuso]

Hindemith was a true craftsman, wasn't he? Of course he was well known, in his day, as a wonderful viola player but I'm told by friends who play various instruments that the instrumental sonatas and the concertos feel, to play, as if they were written by someone who thoroughly understood the workings of that particular instrument and, of course, there are sonatas for almost all orchestral instruments, including Bass Tuba and concerto's for quite a number of them. I played both the 'cello sonatas and one of the concerti and it certainly seemed like that to me.

 

The 'Trauermuisik' for vla. and strings will go with me to my desert island and will be played at my funeral - in place of the clergy preaching!!!

 

================================

 

 

Paul Hindemith could apparenty play every instrument of the orchestra, and understood the notation required of each. More importantly perhaps, he was a remarkable educator during his time at Yale, and inspired a whole generation of young American composers. Even now, it is possible to trace the Hindemith modality, (often made up modes), in many modern works.

 

I also have a very high regard for the Sonatas and some of the piano music, but like Reger's music, my mentors had nothing good to say about the music of either; deriding them as overly academic and dry.

 

I suspect that Hindemith will eventually shine to a newer generation somewhere in Europe. I also suspect that the music of my mentors will vanish without trace.

 

MM

[MusingMuso]

Loved these recordings - I had some EPs from the series as well as one or two of the LPs. Have any of them been re-issued on CD?

 

 

============================

 

 

I'm sure I have some of these records in my collection. I seem to recall my old, (cheap) speakers almost having the electronic equivalent of a heart-attack when confronted by Cliquot reed basses.

 

They coped admirably with Rotherhithe.

 

MM

[sbarber49]

I have a boxed set of CDs ("Historic Organs of Europe") containing:

 

Saorgin @ Malaucene, Bastia & Brescia

Chapuis @ Marmoutier & St Maximin

Winter @ Altenbruch & Trebel

Chapelet @ Covarrubias, Palma (St Agusti & St Geroni) & Trujillo

 

Paul

Are they still available?

[biggestelk]

Are they still available?

I've had a snoop around t'web and it seems not

I too have the set and the UPC (Barcode) is 3149025039729

Good luck!

[Jeremy Ewen]

Are they still available?

 

The Winter/Altenbruch is currently available second hand on Amazon. I have this disc and it is wonderfully atmospheric. If only past generations hadn't "improved" the old organs! Maybe there is a lesson to be learned from this.

 

ATG

[S_L]

Hindemith was a true craftsman, wasn't he? Of course he was well known, in his day, as a wonderful viola player but I'm told by friends who play various instruments that the instrumental sonatas and the concertos feel, to play, as if they were written by someone who thoroughly understood the workings of that particular instrument and, of course, there are sonatas for almost all orchestral instruments, including Bass Tuba and concerto's for quite a number of them. I played both the 'cello sonatas and one of the concerti and it certainly seemed like that to me.

 

The 'Trauermuisik' for vla. and strings will go with me to my desert island and will be played at my funeral - in place of the clergy preaching!!!

 

 

================================

 

 

Paul Hindemith could apparenty play every instrument of the orchestra, and understood the notation required of each. More importantly perhaps, he was a remarkable educator..........

 

MM

 

I am a pupil of a pupil of Hindemith. Apparently it is largely myth that he could play every orchestral instrment but, certainly, he played quite a number to a good standard and, of course, was a wonderful viola player.

 

I think the point I was making was that musicians playing the Sonatas or even the Concertos often comment on the very clear understanding Hindemith had for their instrument - what was possible - what was difficult - what was uncomfortable - what lay under the fingers etc.

 

His book on 'Tonal Harmony' is well worth reading too!

[pwhodges]

Are they still available?

No. Looking for the boxed set (HMA 290060) brings up remarkably few references on Google.

 

You'll do better looking for the individual CDs; the numbers are:

 

HMA 1901225 Chapelet in Palma

HMA 1901226 Chapelet in Spain

HMA 1901227 Saorgin in France

HMA 1901228 Chapuis in France

HMA 1901229 Saorgin in Italy

HMA 1901230 Winter in Germany

 

My test search for the first of these found two copies each of the first two here. In fact that site has all six listed - but whether they are truly available, I couldn't say, and they're €25 or €29 each.

 

Paul

[Vox Humana]

I am a pupil of a pupil of Hindemith. Apparently it is largely myth that he could play every orchestral instrment but, certainly, he played quite a number to a good standard and, of course, was a wonderful viola player.

I have to say that, as far as the organ sonatas are concerned, Hindemith does himself a disservice.

He seems to have written them with a rollschweller in mind, but surely the music is far better suited to a neo-Baroque interpretation? So it seems to me, anyway.

[MusingMuso]

I have to say that, as far as the organ sonatas are concerned, Hindemith does himself a disservice.

He seems to have written them with a rollschweller in mind, but surely the music is far better suited to a neo-Baroque interpretation? So it seems to me, anyway.

 

 

===========================

 

 

Was the neo-baroque movement really underway when Hindemith wrote the Sonatas?

 

I'm not sure, but certainly, the great obstacle to playing them on a neo-baroque organ is the need to change registration quite often, which is quite difficult without something or someone there to help.

 

However, here is some remarkable American music from one of his pupils:-

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BljYNkHpPFk

 

 

MM

[S_L]

===========================

 

 

Was the neo-baroque movement really underway when Hindemith wrote the Sonatas?

 

I'm not sure, but certainly, the great obstacle to playing them on a neo-baroque organ is the need to change registration quite often, which is quite difficult without something or someone there to help.

 

MM

 

Presumably Hindemith wrote the Organ Sonatas for the organs he knew. The first two sonatas date from 1937 when he was living in Germany. The final Sonata was written in 1940 and, by this time, he was in the US.

 

I read that the 3rd Sonata is 'remarkable for the large number of crescendi and de-crescendi indications' (http://www.hetorgel.nl/e1999-27.htm). Presumably this was for an US instrument - complete with Swell boxes and other aids etc. The first two Sonatas perhaps were written for German instruments with less mechanical aids!