I am so happy to see this in my feed. I adore your lectures. I first discovered you when doing a short study of Shostakovich and your gentle humour and insights brought him to life. Thank you.
Mr. Parloff, What a happy accident that this showed up in my TH-cam feed. I listened rapt for the whole hour, and I will share it with my sons (10 and 12) as well, I think it is that engaging. It has enriched my already healthy appreciation for Haydn's music. Bravo!
Please pardon the very long quote, but it fits perfectly here. From “The History Of Chamber Music:” “A cold statistical listing[of Haydn’s extend works]can perform only one service here: to show us weaker mortals what a lifetime of industry can bring forth. The curious reader may estimate the number of separate movement contained within the total works of Haydn. He will find some twenty-five hundred. Apportioning those to the 50 years of Haydn’s creative activity, Roughly from 1750 to 1800, he will arrive at an approximation of one movement a week for half a century! The equivalent of one symphony a month for two generations; of a quartet every four weeks, of a sonata per fortnight-And sustained throughout a lifetime! And composing was only one part, almost a minor part, Of Haydn’s work: Rehearsing, performing, and administering took up equally large segments of his time. One never ceases to marvel that so large a proportion of Haydn’s available compositions are of masterful quality, that he so seldom repeated himself, that he was never at a loss for worthwhile, characteristic musical ideas. That many of his works have been lost goes without saying, and that many are mediocre or worse is equally possible. No composer has yet succeeded in writing only masterpieces; Even the greatest geniuses slip from their lofty perches at times. We are made happy, for this serves to remind us that they, too, are human. And Haydn was human indeed.”
I now know more about Haydn than I did before I listened. When I was a boy we made a cassette of our library’s copy of The Creation. It’s remained among my favorites throughout my life, completely enchanting. I’ve since found Gould’s recording of his late piano sonatas which I also love. There are so many symphonies I’m not sure where to start. I’d love to know which of Haydn’s works impressed you most on your morning walks!
16:50 Gradus ad Parnassum does not mean 'Steps to Paradise'. Parnassus is the Greek mountain where the muses were supposed to reside. So it means: How to become a learned musician.
Many Thanks Michal for this nice video related to one of my favored musicians: Hayden that I call the Serious Composer compared to Mozart the Capricious Genius
47:49 Before Beethoven's 9th, one can point out Mozart's 25th as a work that features four horns from 1773. Thanks for the englightening talk. Great job! (As usual!)
Dear Sir, thanks for this insightful and rewarding lecture. Let me just point out that the house Haydn grew up in does by no means seem "humble" in the picture, compared to what we would expect from early 18th century lodgings, don't you think? As far as I know, Matthias had a kind of "Bürgermeister" position in Rohrau, so I'd rather call Haydn's circumstances "gutbürgerlich". Kind regards, and thanks again from an absolute Haydn devout!
I am so happy to see this in my feed. I adore your lectures. I first discovered you when doing a short study of Shostakovich and your gentle humour and insights brought him to life. Thank you.
Mr. Parloff,
What a happy accident that this showed up in my TH-cam feed. I listened rapt for the whole hour, and I will share it with my sons (10 and 12) as well, I think it is that engaging. It has enriched my already healthy appreciation for Haydn's music.
Bravo!
Magnificent lecture.
I’m enjoying this as much as I’ve enjoyed anything on TH-cam. Can’t wait till der krumme teufel, and the CPE Bach story.
Quelle chance de découvrir ce cours passionnant : un grand merci à vous ! ❤❤❤
Please pardon the very long quote, but it fits perfectly here. From “The History Of Chamber Music:”
“A cold statistical listing[of Haydn’s extend works]can perform only one service here: to show us weaker mortals what a lifetime of industry can bring forth. The curious reader may estimate the number of separate movement contained within the total works of Haydn.
He will find some twenty-five hundred. Apportioning those to the 50 years of Haydn’s creative activity, Roughly from 1750 to 1800, he will arrive at an approximation of one movement a week for half a century! The equivalent of one symphony a month for two generations; of a quartet every four weeks, of a sonata per fortnight-And sustained throughout a lifetime!
And composing was only one part, almost a minor part, Of Haydn’s work: Rehearsing, performing, and administering took up equally large segments of his time. One never ceases to marvel that so large a proportion of Haydn’s available compositions are of masterful quality, that he so seldom repeated himself, that he was never at a loss for worthwhile, characteristic musical ideas.
That many of his works have been lost goes without saying, and that many are mediocre or worse is equally possible. No composer has yet succeeded in writing only masterpieces; Even the greatest geniuses slip from their lofty perches at times. We are made happy, for this serves to remind us that they, too, are human. And Haydn was human indeed.”
I just ordered Brilliant Classics' Haydn Edition. 160 CDs of Haydn's music to dive into.
My goodness! It sounds like you have your work cut out for you…
I now know more about Haydn than I did before I listened. When I was a boy we made a cassette of our library’s copy of The Creation. It’s remained among my favorites throughout my life, completely enchanting. I’ve since found Gould’s recording of his late piano sonatas which I also love. There are so many symphonies I’m not sure where to start. I’d love to know which of Haydn’s works impressed you most on your morning walks!
16:50 Gradus ad Parnassum does not mean 'Steps to Paradise'. Parnassus is the Greek mountain where the muses were supposed to reside. So it means: How to become a learned musician.
Many Thanks Michal for this nice video related to one of my favored musicians: Hayden that I call the Serious Composer compared to Mozart the Capricious Genius
47:49 Before Beethoven's 9th, one can point out Mozart's 25th as a work that features four horns from 1773.
Thanks for the englightening talk. Great job! (As usual!)
Dear Sir, thanks for this insightful and rewarding lecture. Let me just point out that the house Haydn grew up in does by no means seem "humble" in the picture, compared to what we would expect from early 18th century lodgings, don't you think? As far as I know, Matthias had a kind of "Bürgermeister" position in Rohrau, so I'd rather call Haydn's circumstances "gutbürgerlich". Kind regards, and thanks again from an absolute Haydn devout!
MARVELOUS
If it’s Haydn, you know it’s going to be good
48:50, Esterhazy Castle
3:47 - 'unlike his predecessor Bach, he was not a devoutly and genuinely religious man - he was instead a Mason' :)