Day 147: Hodgepodge a la van Oort

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Bill

Today’s CD is another hodgepodge of short pieces of music.

And when I write “short,” I mean short.

There are 51 tracks on this disc. The total of all music is 75 minutes, 12 seconds, which means the average length for each track is about a minute and a half.

The incomparable Bart van Oort, on fortepiano, plays his heart out on those tiny tracks.

The CD is divided into four sections, each featuring 13 tracks:

Twelve Menuets HOB IX: 8
13 tracks

Twelve Menuets HOB IX: 3
13 tracks

Twelve Menuets HOB IX: 11
13 tracks

Twelve German Dances HOT IX: 12
13 tracks

I provided the YouTube clip for the first section of the four on this CD. If you’re interested, seek out the rest yourself on YouTube.

Bottom line: Although some of these tracks are bouncy, lively, full of Baroque-like trills and verve, a great deal of this CD sounds the same. Each individual menuet or dance is great. Lots in there to digest and enjoy. But 51 tracks of such music wears me down, sort of like Chinese water torture – one drip at a time.

Day 146: Back to Bart

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Bill

Today’s CD is an odd duck.

It’s just six compositions on solo piano – three of which are lengthy (over 14 minutes), three of which are relatively short (under seven minutes and thirty-one seconds).

If you ever wanted to hear what Haydn would sound like as Chopin or Bach, this CD is for you.

What I find most interesting about these pieces is that they allow for great expressiveness, a sort of meandering quality that allows for Bart van Oort to demonstrate why he’s one of the world’s best fortepiano players.

These are compositions that would play well as background for writing as well as foreground for active listening.

Highly recommended. FAVORITE!

What I listened to:

1. Arietta No. 1 in E flat with twelve variations HOB XVII: 3

2. Variations (Fantasy) in F minor HOB XVII: 6
3. Arietta No. 2 in A with twenty variations HOB XVII: 2
4. Four Variations on “Gott erhalte” in G HOB XVII: Anhang
5. Five Variations in D HOB XVII: 7
6. Six Variations in C HOB XVII: 5

I provided the first selection from YouTube. The rest are likely there. If you want to hear them, get thee to YouTube.

Day 145: More Riko (Woo-Hoo!)

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Bill

Today’s performer is, once again, Riko Fukuda on fortepiano.

From her web site:

RIKO FUKUDA studied piano and oboe at the Toho-Gakuën conservatory in Japan. A grant from the Dutch government enabled her to study with Stanley Hoogland at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where she specialised in fortepiano. Her solo recordings of works by Pinto and Dussek on the Olympia label have met with great acclaim, and in 2001 she released two CDs with piano sonatas of Haydn on Brilliant Classics.

Yes, she did. I’m listening to one of them now. And it’s very good.

Riko’s playing is remarkable for its expressiveness and delicate, yet nimble, touch.

Of course, it’s impossible for me to Continue reading →

Day 144: The Brilliance of Riko Fukuda

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Bill

Today brings the following:

1. More snow, ice, and high winds,

2. A new performer,

3. Spectacular piano sonatas.

Can’t say much for #1.

It’s been that kind of winter in these parts.

I can say a great deal about #2 and #3.

Today’s performer is Riko Fukuda on fortepiano.

From her web site:

RIKO FUKUDA studied piano and oboe at the Toho-Gakuën conservatory in Japan. A grant from the Dutch government enabled her to study with Stanley Hoogland at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where she specialised in fortepiano. Her solo recordings of works by Pinto and Dussek on the Olympia label have met with great acclaim, and in 2001 she released two CDs with piano sonatas of Haydn on Brilliant Classics.

Yes, she did. I’m listening to one of them now. And it’s very good.

Riko’s playing is remarkable for its expressiveness and Continue reading →

Day 143: More Excellence From Yoshiko

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Bill

Today’s CD was another enjoyable journey through the creative mind of Joseph Haydn.

At least, the part of Haydn’s mind that composed piano sonatas.

Today’s performer is once again Yoshiko Kojima on fortepiano.

According to one web site,

Japanese pianist Yoshiko Kojima studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo and fortepiano at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. Teacher at Tokai University and at the National University of Fine Arts and Music in Tokyo.

She does a masterful job, too – especially on Track #3.

I listened to this CD three times through. Each time, my attention was riveted by Track #3, which is Movement III (“Finale: Allegro di molto”) of Piano Sonata in E Flat HOB XVI: 45.

Such fleet-fingered playing takes a great deal of skill. Also, I can’t even imagine how much black was on the page of music. All those Continue reading →

Day 142: A Change of Pianists

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Bill

It’s funny. I knew it was a different pianist today from the first few notes.

I’ve gotten to the point where I can tell by the sound of the piano, or the style of playing, if it’s someone to whom I’ve been listening or not.

Today’s performer is Yoshiko Kojima on fortepiano.

According to one web site,

Japanese pianist Yoshiko Kojima studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo and fortepiano at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. Teacher at Tokai University and at the National University of Fine Arts and Music in Tokyo.

She does a masterful job, too.

These selections are crisp and passionate.

The recordings are interesting, too. On track two Continue reading →

Day 139: Lively and Robust

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Bill

Today’s CD features five more Piano Sonatas performed by Ursula Dutschler on fortepiano.

Whereas I didn’t dig yesterday’s compositions and/or performances, I find today’s more enjoyable.

They are much more lively and robust than yesterday’s fare.

I’m sure it helped that Movement I (“Moderato”) of Piano Sonata in C (“Divertimento”) HOB XVI: 10 was a much livelier moderato than I’ve heard before, and the construction of the piece was more intricate. So it was a brisk, commanding way to open the CD.

Movement II (“Menuet”) was also more intricate and lively than other menuets to which I’ve listened.

Movement III (“Finale: Menuetto”) was a fine way to round out this sonata.

Very enjoyable.

I’d like to interrupt this report with news of my discovery of a just-published book called Playing Before the Lord: The Life and Work of Joseph Haydn by Calvin R. Stapert, professor emeritus of music at Calvin College.

Stapert writes with great love for the subject matter, and unabashedly admits so in his Preface:

You will not have to read very far – in fact you have probably read far enough already – to realize that I love Haydn and think he belongs very near the top of any list of greatest composers…if I am bothered that Haydn’s stock has slipped since the days when he was widely recognized as Europe’s greatest living composer, it is not for his sake. Though at one time it mattered quite a bit to him, he has no such concerns anymore. But it does matter to me.

Stapert’s respect for the subject matter infuses every word of this volume. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Now, back to my assessment of today’s music.

Movement I (“Allegro”) Continue reading →

Day 138: Yawn

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Bill

Today’s CD features six more Piano Sonatas, this time performed by Ursula Dutschler on fortepiano.

I’m not sure what it is. But I’m not as wowed as I was the first two days I listened to Haydn’s piano sonatas.

I don’t know if it’s Haydn’s compositions, or Ms. Dutschler’s performance of them.

Whatever it is, I’m underwhelmed.

Which means I cannot award this particular CD FAVORITE! status. At best, these compositions earn a large, open-mouthed “Yawn.”

One track stood out for a good reason – #4, which was a brisk, fleet-fingered, high-melody piece that sounded different from everything around it.

One track stood out for a bad reason – #11, which sounded like Continue reading →

Day 137: Burt van Oort Rocks!

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Bill

Today’s CD features five more exquisite Piano Sonatas performed by Burt van Oort on fortepiano.

My feelings about this music are the same today as they were yesterday.

In other words, I really don’t have much to say about these compositions other than “FAVORITE!” and “Do yourself a favor and listen to them!”

They are remarkable.

I’m not sure any tracks are standouts this time, though. They’re all about equal, for different reasons. The fast ones are lightning fast. The slow ones are poignant and melodic.

Mr. van Oort’s fingers are more nimble than mine will ever be. The sheet music must have been black with notes, especially those really fast notes. What are they called? I don’t know. Here’s what they look like:

The fleet-fingered performer: Continue reading →

Day 136: Is “Awesome” Too Lame a Word For This?

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Bill

Today’s CD features five exquisite Piano Sonatas performed by Burt van Oort on fortepiano.

I really don’t have much to say about these pieces other than “FAVORITE!” and “Do yourself a favor and listen to them!”

These are remarkable.

Standout tracks for me: #1, #4, #11 (astounding!).

Performer:
Burt van Oort fortepiano

What I listened to: Continue reading →

1095 Days With the Masters and Me

In Which I Spend Three Years Exploring the Works of the World's Greatest Composers, Authors, Filmmakers, Musicians, and Actors. I'm Not Crazy. Just Insatiably Curious. (Oh, like you're not?)

Category Archives: Fortepiano