Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site cornell.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!cornell!mf From: mf@cornell.UUCP (mf) Newsgroups: net.music.classical,net.books,net.motss Subject: (8) Nocturnes for the King of Naples -- Update Message-ID: <1078@cornell.UUCP> Date: Thu, 10-Jan-85 10:18:42 EST Article-I.D.: cornell.1078 Posted: Thu Jan 10 10:18:42 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 12-Jan-85 01:00:43 EST References: <853@cornell.UUCP> <924@cornell.UUCP> Reply-To: (Uucp) cornell!mf (ARPA) mf@cornell-gvax (Bitnet) MF AT CRNLCS Organization: Cornell U Lines: 35 Keywords: Haydn, White Xref: watmath net.music.classical:756 net.books:1191 net.motss:1412 From ``The New Grove'' on Haydn: > Another notable foreign commission was the order from the King of Naples for > some music for his favourite instrument, the *lira organizzata*, a variety of > hurdy-gurdy, which resulted in five concertos (1786-7) and eight notturnos > ([Hob II:25-32], c1790) for two ``lire organizzate.'' The concertos are in a > more fashionable vein, but the notturnos are splendid examples of high-class > music for connoiseurs and amateurs. Despite their apparent simplicity and > lack of sophistication there is a lightness and grace, a mastery of form and > texture and a superior handling of the instruments which place these works > among Haydn's finest chamber music. His own regard for them is shown by the > fact that he arranged a number of them for his London concerts, replacing the > two *lire* with flute and oboe. These pieces were played among other compositions of Haydn during the two seasons (1791 and 1792) of the Solomon Concerts in London, held every Friday in the Hanover Square rooms. The recordings mentioned in the Diapason catalogue (see <859@cornell.UUCP>), with a synopsis of their commentaries, are: *** The Music Party, Alan Hacker. Oiseau-Lyre DSLO 512/2 [British] Received a Grand Prix du Disque, and justifiably so. Uses only period instruments, and only clarinettes [for the two principal parts? --mf]. *** Haydn Ensemble of Tokyo, Makoto Ohmiaya. BAM LD 5815/16 [French] Uses sometimes violins and sometimes clarinettes for the two principal parts. Created a sensation when released in 1973. I would presume there are other releases, but I don't have a Schwann, Gramophone, or other catalogue with me. So if anybody finds alternate releases (or recor- dings, for that matter), I would be glad to receive that information.