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Gasp! Hurwitz Disses Doric's Haydn Op 33 Quartets

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Posted on November 9, 2020 at 19:28:42
Interestingly, their Op 33 set really didn't grab me at all. I downloaded it about three weeks ago. It was my first outing with the music, so I wondered if the Quartet had recorded on an "off" day (or possibly... Haydn was having an off day when he wrote them?). Anyone think the Op 33 is less inspired than the rest?

I'm still going to make their other 3 releases my Discs of the Year. Any group that can turn me on to the Haydn Quartets has achieved something special indeed. I still listen to one quartet a day, upon waking.

Hurwitz also described the group's tone as "ugly," and I can't imagine why he thinks that. Some of the most gorgeous, "warm," "woodsy," and transparent sound I've ever heard. As for his opinion that the Doric's take Haydn's outer mov'ts too fast, well...I humbly find those same mov'ts exhilarating and I can't think of any point at which a detail is smeared or a musical point missed, at least in the other releases.

Oh well.

 

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I'm pretty sure old Dave is right [nt] ;-), posted on November 10, 2020 at 01:04:37
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I think it is possible DH has a "sacrificial victim quota" nt, posted on November 10, 2020 at 04:33:05
John Marks
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nt

 

RE: Gasp! Hurwitz Disses Doric's Haydn Op 33 Quartets, posted on November 10, 2020 at 05:18:52
pbarach
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I agree with Hurwitz concerning these performances. They fall flat in so many ways. Of course YMMV.

 

Unless he's dumping on one of your multi-channel treasures. : ) nt, posted on November 10, 2020 at 05:56:35
.

 

RE: Gasp! Hurwitz Disses Doric's Haydn Op 33 Quartets, posted on November 10, 2020 at 06:00:54
Are you talking about the OP 33 set or all of the releases?

And if all, which other 76. 20, and 64 sets do you prefer?

 

He rarely does that [nt] ;-), posted on November 10, 2020 at 09:02:36
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RE: Gasp! Hurwitz Disses Doric's Haydn Op 33 Quartets, posted on November 10, 2020 at 09:15:49
bald2
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I'm listening to Opus 33 #2 now on Tidal. Yawn... Just lifeless and dull. And it sounds like they take all kinds of liberties; I can't believe that they're playing the music as written. It sounds stylistically wrong to me. Poor Franz Joseph Haydn:)

Listen to the Janacek Quartet on DG by contrast. Utterly transporting.

 

This is what you want. . . , posted on November 10, 2020 at 09:46:48
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Hmm. . . $54.03 at Amazon - but quality is worth it! ;-)

 

RE: Gasp! Hurwitz Disses Doric's Haydn Op 33 Quartets, posted on November 10, 2020 at 09:53:43
pbarach
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Festetics does a wonderful job with Op. 33.

 

I think I'm going to go with the Mosaics next, to try the period instrument approach . Nt, posted on November 10, 2020 at 10:14:00
The .

 

Oh dear! Bound and determined for disappointment! [nt], posted on November 10, 2020 at 10:30:50
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RE: This is what you want. . . , posted on November 10, 2020 at 11:24:08
Utley1
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Always the Tatrai, one of the best quartets ever.( even with the cockeyed Eastern Europe recording) Los Angels quartet is often pretty good, especially on the early quartets.Forget the British and any university based quartet.Haydn has balls!

 

RE: This is what you want. . . , posted on November 10, 2020 at 12:50:01
classfolkphile
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2nd this recommendation.

 

jdaniel: You see? The extra quality is always worth it! [nt] ;-), posted on November 10, 2020 at 12:52:08
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Yes, the Mosaiques are very disappointing in the Op. 33..., posted on November 10, 2020 at 12:56:23
classfolkphile
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...the Festetics are better. The Mosaiques are good in Op. 20 though I prefer modern instrument versions.

 

"I prefer modern instruments versions" - A true connoisseur! I salute you, classfolkphile! [nt], posted on November 10, 2020 at 13:02:50
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I didn't say "I saw" one way or the other. Surely your singular opinions about music, heard and unheard..., posted on November 10, 2020 at 13:32:02
should be all one needs? : )

I see the aneurisms are available at Presto, though someone decided they were only worthy of 16 bits.

I sampled their opening of the OP 33 Bm. Sounds just as stop and go, though I don't blame either quartet for that.

 

Psst: the Dorics use modern instruments. , posted on November 10, 2020 at 13:41:22
I really enjoy Michael Bernard O'Hanlon's Amazon review of the Opus 64, sandwiched between "my disc arrived cracked" and "my gramma bought me this CD and Haydn is a nice man":

I thoroughly enjoyed the Doric Quartet in the Sun Quartets - and their form spills over into Opus 64. Above all, it features the best account of C Major I've heard in my life. The scale and torque at hand are suggestive of Schubert's Reliquie or D 887 and (dare one say it) Bruckner. At long last, I appreciate it for being the masterpiece that it is. The remainder of the quartets are played in the same gutsy and poetic fashion - no wonder the Doric Quartet is loathed by the Period Practice Taliban. It doesn't hurt that the cellist is not a shy retiring type: opulence underpins this music-making. Not a bar here is prosaic or under-characterised. Love is evident. The development section of the Lark's first movement is played in a Sturm und Drang fashion and sensationally so - and yet again, torque is keynote. The Adagio Cantabile that follows is heavenly - make no mistake, this is revelation; it has more radiance to its name than Andromeda. I also draw your attention to the opening movement of the E Flat Quartet: what a fabulous sound they make!

 

Yeah - I knew that. So who is Michael Bernard O'Hanlon? [nt], posted on November 10, 2020 at 13:43:43
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"Surely your singular opinions about music. . . should be all one needs" - Indeed, posted on November 10, 2020 at 13:53:24
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Based upon the continuous refinements of a lifetime of listening!

As for "singular", at the very least, I've got Pinchas Zuckerman on my side! You simply MUST hear his Brandenburg Concertos with the LA Phil! Or his Vivaldi Concertos with the ECO - manna from heaven after decades of a HIP-induced musical pandemic (even when incorporated into modern instruments!). ;-)

 

Yes! I've got that Janacek Quartet recording on DG, posted on November 10, 2020 at 14:40:51
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Op. 33 No.2 AND Op. 33 No. 3 - recorded in the days before those horrible HIP mannerisms became de rigueur! Talk about "Was die Mode streng geteilt"! HIP is dividing us - just like Russian propaganda was dividing our society! (But now it's apparently and suddenly been quashed! I wish I could say the same thing for HIP!)

 

RE: "Surely your singular opinions about music. . . should be all one needs" - Indeed, posted on November 10, 2020 at 15:03:23
Bach can certainly take the symphonic approach. I'm still waiting for HDTT to transfer Ormandy's Bach. : )

As for the Vivaldi rec, I've not heard his music performed the old fashioned way in years, so to be a good role model I will neither comment or extrapolate.

PS I'm really trying hard to focus on the byways at this point as opposed to more versions of the Top 100. Schubert, Mozart
Beethoven chamber music, Mozart and Hsndel Operas. Fidelio, Bach organ works, Bruckner Masses and Motets. Monteverdi....

 

Your "ps" comment seems like an excellent plan of attack! [nt] ;-), posted on November 10, 2020 at 15:08:55
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RE: Yes! I've got that Janacek Quartet recording on DG, posted on November 11, 2020 at 19:25:18
bald2
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I have it too, and they're on Tidal. What do you think of them?

Harry Z

 

My "Yes!" exclamation in the subject line of my post just above. . . , posted on November 15, 2020 at 01:08:36
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. . . was meant to denote full agreement with your sentiments about those performances! ;-)

BTW, in my LP days, I used to have the Janacek's Decca/London album of Op. 33 No. 2, Op. 76 No. 2, and the Serenade from Op. 3 (attributed to Haydn). I remember really liking that one too, but I haven't heard it since the CD era started.

 

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