|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
192.5.202.6
In Reply to: RE: Wind - String Balances posted by C.B. on March 24, 2011 at 14:33:19
interesting perspective on trumpet parts. But...
"Mozart's and Haydn's symphonies were routinely performed with ensembles of 30 to 40 players, and both composers were apparently satisfied with that."
This is simply false. There is a letter from Mozart written in the mid 1780s in which he states that his favored performance forces for orchestral works numbered about a hundred players. Smaller performance forces were dictated by economics and not by artistic intentions.
Follow Ups:
Once again, I fall back on my own artistic inclinations, as limited as they may be. History being what it is, I think a modern-day 100-piece band is simply wrong for Mozart, and I say that from the standpoint of a player, and also as a erstwhile conductor.
I'm not aware of a letter of Mozart in which he states that he prefers "about hundred players". Can you provide a reference?
-
"You weren't afraid of being born--why would you be afraid of dying?" Alan Watts
citation, but the letter (which I believe was written to Haydn) dates from the mid 1780s and is quoted/cited in Rosen's "The Classical Style." If you have that book handy, you should be able to find it pretty easily.
I have no quibbles with your personal preference. I actually find the transparency that conductors such as Zinman and Maag have brought to Beethoven to be a welcome development. One major piece that I think suffers from cluttered orchestration is the 4th piano concerto (Beethoven's to be clear) and I am curious to hear that Bronfman/Zinman recording. Generally, I love many HIP and many non-HIP performances.
BUT if believe the position is supported by personal preference and not historical accuracy.
that nobody has mentioned. Even though all these composers had "pipe dreams" of mega-ensembles, their music (at least Mozart's and Haydn's) was almost always composed with the sound of smaller ensembles in mind. And at the world premieres, performed that way. Mozart's symphonies and piano concertos, for example, are replete with woodwind writing (solos) that can get lost in the context of a 100-piece orchestra. Thankfully, many conductors nowadays pare down the strings when performing these works. Benefits the balance of soloist to orchestra, too.
Obviously, this is a tenet of the period instrument crowd, but I think the concept is equally valid on modern instruments--from an artistic/musical perspective. I'm more interested in the musical results, rather than what pleases the historians.
-
"You weren't afraid of being born--why would you be afraid of dying?" Alan Watts
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: