Category Archives: Before 1773

Day 130: More Diversions

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HaydnCD130Like yesterday’s CD, today’s listening fare continues to offer wonderful “diversions” from the monotonous baryton trios to which I’d been listening for several weeks.

They’re about the same as yesterday, though, although not nearly as uplifting and inspiring.

Still, they’re very good, albeit slower of tempo, more somber.

If you want to skip reading below and just revisit what I wrote yesterday, click here.

It’s not that I wish to discourage you from reading on; rather, it’s that what follows is essentially what I wrote yesterday.

Still reading? Okay. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

In addition to Continue reading →

Day 129: A Diversion

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HaydnCD129Today’s CD offers a much-needed break, a diversion, from the baryton trios to which I’ve been listening of late.

In addition to the three instruments (baryton, viola, cello) on the previous CDs, we now have horns, violins, and a violone (whatever that is), all of which blend to create a symphony-like depth and complexity that I find truly compelling.

The horns, especially, are a welcome addition. I love horns and consider little more soothing than the sound of a French horn.

In short, these are terrific compositions.

Three of the performers on today’s CD are the same as they have been all along for the baryton trios:

EsterhazyEnsembleThey comprise the Esterhazy Ensemble and are:

Michael Brussing baryton
Andras Bolyki viola
Maria Andrasfalvy-Brussing cello

If you’d like to know what these performers look like when they’re playing, here you go:

NOTE: The baryton instrument is in the middle.

In addition to those three performers, today’s CD adds Continue reading →

Day 116: Tiptoeing Through the Barytons

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HaydnCD116If you’ve been following my previous posts, you know that these baryton trios are a bit of a slog for me.

It’s not that they’re poorly played (on the contrary, these musicians are brilliant). It’s not that they’re badly written (Haydn was, after all, Haydn).

It’s that they’re all the same, more or less. Over one hundred compositions for the baryton (an old instrument somewhat like a cello), many of which are in the key of A because Prince Esterhazy wasn’t an accomplished player and so Haydn had to “dumb down” his compositions for the Prince.

I did notice something interesting in one of the trios today. I also notice a pizzicato passage because it always strikes me as humorous. Like cartoon characters tip toeing, sneaking up on someone. This plucking style appeared in Movement II (“Menuet”) of Baryton Trio No. 34 in D and caught my attention immediately. This Movement II is rather pleasant. I could listen to this one repeatedly.

In addition, the third and final movement (“Finale: Presto”) is peppier than usual as well.

Dare I say this baryton trio is a FAVORITE?

The next one (Baryton Trio No. 35 in A) is also Continue reading →