What are the top Da Capo recordings?

[Jonathan]

I'd just like to say that the JPE Hartmann symphonies are excellent - I got a copy of the disc for £2.99 from Naxos Direct as it was in their sale - and I just checked and it still is!

[khorovod]

John,

Amazon in the UK is currently selling the Hartmann symphony cd via its marketplace sellers from 2.99 upwards. Naxos is the marketplace seller and reliable and with postage charge of 1.25 this is very cheap, much more than Europadisk. I have used Naxos Uk via Amazon myself with no problems.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00000467C/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1286705673&sr=1-1&condition=new

I would put him more toward mid-romantic myself -- he was born in 1805 and lived to 1900 (as true a romantic as it gets, perhaps ).
And the piano CD I mentioned above is the 'Piano Music' one, not the sonatas one.

Yes he lived until 1900 but the symphonies date from the end of the early romantic period and are relative early works for him. There are no clear dividing lines to be sure but they are definitely not late romantic (think Strauss, Mahler etc) and most definitely earlier in style/language than mid romantic (think Raff, Brahms, Dvorak perhaps?). The music is the key not so much the composer's lifespan. I wish he had continued to write symphonies into the mid and late romantic periods.

[khorovod]

Oh great minds think alike!

[John H White]

Once again, many thanks, everyone, for all your help. I've now ordered the Hartmann symphonies at bargain price from Naxos Direct.

[DennisS]

Thank you Jonathan for the excellent tip re- the £2.99 Hartmann disc from Naxos Direct. I received my copy yesterday and so far have only listened to symphony no 1, which I very much enjoyed.

cheers
Dennis

[Jonathan]

Glad you enjoyed it DennisS - must have a listen to my copy this weekend (I've been really busy lately and not much time to listen to things properly).

[John H White]

Having now listened to the Hartmann symphonies 2 or 3 times I'm afraid I must say I find them quite pleasant but rather tame compared to those of his contemporaries, such as Franz Lachner and his own son-in-law, Gade.

[Alan Howe]

Hartmann is not to be compared to Lachner - they're very different symphonists. But Hartmann 2 is surely as good as any symphony by Gade - I would say superior in freshness, vitality and originality to all of Gade's except No.1. But that's only my opinion...

[khorovod]

Oh I am sorry you were not so impressed with the Hartmann symphonies. I think I agree exactly with Alan Hwoe regarding the comparison to Gade, there is much more energy and individuality in the father-in-law than the son-in-law I would say. (But I do like Gade too)

[DennisS]

Hello TerraEpon

Thanks to this thread, I bought Hartmann's symphonies nos 1 and 2 and already, I am very fond of his music. I was intrigued by your comments on his ballet music "die Valkyrien". I did some research on the internet. Amazon are selling the double cd for just under £40.00!!(rather expensive to say the least!) Unfortunately, I can not find any sound bites on the net but did find a couple of reviews. One review described the music as "boisterous". The other said that the music was fairly "pleasant" but lacked dramatic impact and did not fit well with the play's dramatic scenes.  It also lacked some exotic colour, bearing in mind the play's later location (I think it referred to Byzantine? but I may be wrong on that). I wonder if you could give me more of your views on the ballet music? Also, how does this music compare with his 2 symphonies? Any info would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
DennisS

[TerraEpon]

Well, it's pre-Delibes mid-romantic ballet. There's a lot of great melodies, but I guess "lacking in exotic color" isn't a bad description -- but then, it really wasn't until Tchaikovsky that ballet did that anyway.
I like it anyway. Surprised there's no sound samples at all though (I found http://www.allmusic.com/album/hartmann-valkyrien-w84713 which seems to actually have more than just one sample if you let it run, though dunno how much)

[eschiss1]

Well, it's pre-Delibes mid-romantic ballet. There's a lot of great melodies, but I guess "lacking in exotic color" isn't a bad description -- but then, it really wasn't until Tchaikovsky that ballet did that anyway.
I like it anyway. Surprised there's no sound samples at all though (I found http://www.allmusic.com/album/hartmann-valkyrien-w84713 which seems to actually have more than just one sample if you let it run, though dunno how much)

it has plenty?... go to http://www.allmusic.com/album/hartmann-valkyrien-w84713/tracks

Eric

[DennisS]

Thank you TerraEpon and Eric for the Allmusic website. There are soundbites there of every track of the double cd, which I listened to with great interest. I have bookmarked the site. Strange that Google do not show Allmusic when one enters Hartmann Valkyrien. Thanks again
Cheers
Dennis

[FBerwald]

What key is Hamerik's Symphony No. 7, op. 40 Choral-Symphony. I believe the Requiem on the same disc is in A Major.

[JimL]

Compare.