REVIEWS:  diversions 24117 Haydn and Stamitz flute music  

 

MUSICWEB:
The transverse flute was one of the most popular instruments in the second half of the 18th century, in particular among amateurs, the so-called 'Liebhaber'. In consequence, there was a huge demand for music for the transverse flute, and as a result we see a large production of chamber music with flute.

Haydn didn't compose much for the transverse flute. The four trios recorded here were written during his second visit to England in 1794 and 1795. It is thought that at least some of them were specifically written for two aristocratic friends of his, the Earl of Abingdon and the Baron of Aston. In the first print of Trios 1 and 2 both gentlemen are mentioned as addressees. The Earl of Abingdon was the addressee of the second trio: he was an avid flute player and composer, and the andante of this trio uses one of his melodies: 'The Lady's Mirror'.

Although this music was written for, and therefore expected to be played by, the above-mentioned aristocrats, this doesn't mean these pieces are that easy. They show that the playing skills of the 'Liebhaber' in those days were considerable.

Composing and publishing music for the flute was also a way to increase someone's income. Carl Stamitz, once a key figure of the so-called 'Mannheim School', was without a steady job at the time the pieces played here were published, in 1785. He just travelled around playing and teaching. In those years he could be found in many places in Europe including Strasbourg, St Petersburg, Berlin and also London. Being a violinist by profession the transverse flute wasn't his main interest, but writing music for the growing number of people looking for new repertoire for their favourite instrument was a way to increase his income. But it didn't prevent his belongings being auctioned after his death to pay for his debts.

Although all the music on this disc belongs to the category of entertainment, the best composers of the time were eager to probe beneath the surface now and then. In Haydn's Trio in C the final movement contains a chromatic passage which represents a 'passus duriusculus', a baroque rhetorical figure expressing sadness. And the middle movement (andante poco moderato) of Stamitz's trio contains a dark passage in C minor.

The trios by Haydn are rather well-known and available in other recordings. Here they get a good performance, although sometimes I would have wanted the tempi a little brisker and the articulation a little sharper. The main interest of this disc is in the pieces by Stamitz, which - as far as I know - have never been recorded before, certainly not on period instruments. And considering their qualities, which are eloquently demonstrated by the interpreters, they are well worth listening to.
Johan van Veen

INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW:
There is something distinctly homely about Haydn’s London Flute Trios. Somehow, the transparency of the texture and modest technical demands on both performer and listener combine to conjure up an attractive simplicity. Although far from deep or challenging, these works have a sophistication which makes them well worth hearing. This new recording from the appropriately named Diversions label presents all four trios together with two works by Carl Philipp Stamitz.

In keeping with the nature of the music, these performances have a gentility and modesty about them. At no stage does the interpretation stand in the way of an appreciation of Haydn’s writing; and at all times the playing – apart from the most minute discrepancies in ensemble – is perfectly matched to the music. The flutes of Peter Harrison and Lesley Holliday are well balanced and Rachel Gray’s contribution on the cello blends with subtlety. After a while, though, this demure approach needs variety. The Vivace rondo that closes the first Trio seems rather staid and hardly captures Haydn’s humour. In general the phrasing of the flute parts would benefit from being more lyrical: often it comes across as rather too foursquare.

For the most part the recording is clear and precise, and the acoustic is suited to the repertoire. However, something rather odd has happened either to the levels or the relative position of the instrumentalists to the microphone. In the Stamitz Duetto, the flutes appear to be very close; in the trios the sound is rather more muffled, and – most curiously – the balance seems to vary between the movements of individual works. Nevertheless, in listening to this disc one can almost imagine oneself back in the eighteenth century hearing a domestic performance. The dry acoustic creates an atmosphere which – with a little imagination – re-creates the conditions of a 1790s drawing-room. Both Stamitz’s and Haydn’s music work well in this environment, though Haydn’s is by far the most rewarding. In short, this is a perfectly pleasant disc which succeeds within its modest terms of reference; indeed, as befits the label, it is most diverting.
Warwick Cole

AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE:
Haydn probably composed the London trios for two flutes and cello during an extended stay in London in 1794. Numbers 1 and 2 are three movement works; 2 and 4 are fragments. They are charming, enjoyable works, apparently written for the strong amateur market of the time. Haydn’s craft and skill is evident, but these are not his most profound or challenging chamber works.

This period-instrument performance involves one-keyed wood flutes, challenging instruments to master. Holliday and Harrison play with accuracy and elegance. After hearing this refined, polished performance, I admit I like the London trios more than I used to. Take away the vibrato and strident tone of the modern flute, and these pieces sparkle and sing.

Carl Stamitz (1741-1801) had a famous musical father – Johann Stamitz, leader of the storied Mannheim orchestra. Carl’s career was limited to brief stints in various cities after leaving Mannheim in 1770. Thirty years passed without a permanent position. 21st century musicians frustrated by limited employment opportunities can take some small comfort in knowing things were not much different in the 18th century. Not everyone landed the plush gigs like Haydn. The Stamitz Trio and Duo were published around 1785. Like the Haydn trios, they are charming, light works.

This is another delightful period-instrument performance. I do not think I can go back to playing this music on modern instruments. This recording convinced me that the one-keyed flute is ideal. If you have not experienced this for yourself, it is worth finding.
Chaffee