Authentic page mp3s - Septet Op.20

[Peter]

Now available to members at www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/authentic.html

------------------
'Man know thyself'

[Frohlich]

Frolicking merriment abounds here, a most enjoyable piece!

Ludwig enjoyed using musical jargon in his jokes, for example, when he offered his popular Opus 20 Septet to the Leipzig publisher Hoffmeister, he expressed the tradition that he had been born with a caul: "I came into the world with an obbligato accompaniment"

****

[Andrea]

It appears that Beethoven had a bit of a publishing problem with his Quintet, Op.29:

Beethoven was ever ready to do battle when he thought his interests had been slighted, but never more so then after his return from Heiligenstadt, when he became embroiled in a quarrel with the Viennese publishers Artaria and Mollo. The man who sighed in Heiligenstadt spouted in the city. The change came virtually overnight. The facts of the case are intricate. Beethoven had composed a string Quintet, Op. 29, and had sold it to the Leipzig publishers Breithopf and Härtel. Artaria and Company wished to have the Quintet for publication in Vienna, and consequently borrowed a copy of the manuscript from Count Moritz von Fries, to whom the Quintet was dedicated, telling him (according to Beethoven) that the Quintet was already published and on sale in Vienna, but that they wanted a copy for the purpose of correcting their edition, which was faulty.

Count Fries gave them his copy, and in short order the work was published in a version competitive with that of Breitkopf and Härtel. When Beethoven saw it, he flew into a rage, saying that it constituted a breach of agreement between himself and Breitkopf and Härtel, publishers who were friends of his and whose good will was important to him. He dashed off a long letter to Breitkopf and Härtel, dated November 13, 1802, in which he called Artaria and Company "arch-villains", "scoundrels", pointing out that both Mollo and Artaria, though two different publishers, were really only one firm-that is, "one whole family of scoundrels"-proposed to take legal action against them, and said that he approved of any steps, "even of a personal character", that could be taken.

Not content with intramural attempts to straighten things out, Beethoven rushed into the open and published in the Wiener Zeitung of January 22, 1803, the following notice:
"TO MUSIC LOVERS. In informing the public that the original Quintet in C Major, long ago advertised by me, has been published by Breitkopf and Härtel in Leipzig, I declare that I have no part in the edition published at the same time by Herren Artaria and Mollo in Vienna. I am the more constrained to make this declaration because this edition is highly faulty, incorrect, and quite useless to players, whereas Herren Breitkopf and Härtel, the rightful owners of this Quintet, have done all in their power to produce the work as beautifully as possible."
Ludwig van Beethoven

Obviously Artaria and Company, a respectable publishing house, could not let so direct an accusation pass uncontested. They filed a petition on February 14, 1803, in the High Police Court, demanding a retraction by Beethoven. Artaria deposed that Count Fries had bought the Quintet and was within his rights to hand over a copy to Artaria for publication. They accompanied their deposition by a written statement from Count Frie, who confirmed the points put forth by Artaria, who also stated that Mollo had nothing whatever to do with the edition. As to the faults which Beethoven claimed, Beethoven himself had corrected two copies of the edition and consequently, if there were any mistakes, it was Beethoven who was responsible for them.

Beethoven replied that Count Fries had told him personally that Artaria had obtained the Quintet by "trickery"; later he did have to admit that he did correct two copies; out of anger he had not done a thorough job.

On September 26, 1803, the court ruled against Beethoven. They ordered him to retract his notice of Jan. 22, submitting such a retraction to the court prior to its publication. A report date of Dec. 4, 1803, shows that Beethoven was summoned to court and was clearly told that he must publish his disavowal. And yet he did not. He would not. Indeed, he never came forth with a retraction, in spite of a further judgment by the court on March 8, 1805. All he could concede by way of apology was to insert the following on March 31, 1804:
ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PUBLIC
"After having inserted a statement in the Wiener Zeitung of January 22, 1803, in which I publicly declared that the edition of my Quintet published by Mollo did not appear under my supervision, was faulty in the extreme and useless to players, the undersigned hereby revokes the statement to the extent of saying that Herren Mollo and Co. have no interest in this edition, feeling that I owe such a declaration to do justice to Herren Mollo and Co. before a public entitled to respect."
Ludwig van Beethoven

The matter dragged along for almost three years until the lawyers for both parties signed an agreement (Sept. 9, 1805) concerning future editions of this Quintet. Beethoven got over his anger, Artaria over theirs and the firm continued to publish some of Beethovens works.
-(from "Beethoven, Biography of a Genius" by George R. Marek)

********

That's good old Beethoven for you. When he thought he was in the right, well, you'd better get out of his way or else suffer the consequences.



[This message has been edited by Andrea (edited November 15, 2003).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Frohlich:

Frolicking merriment abounds here, a most enjoyable piece!

Ludwig enjoyed using musical jargon in his jokes, for example, when he offered his popular Opus 20 Septet to the Leipzig publisher Hoffmeister, he expressed the tradition that he had been born with a caul: "I came into the world with an obbligato accompaniment"

****

Yes this is jolly music I chose to brighten the dull skies of Vienna. Quite a good recording, though the first movement of op20 is never played 'con brio' enough for my taste. As usual the authentic style instruments add colour vibrance and transparency to Beethoven's music. This CD is a German import and is not generally available however. When we get to op29 we will be comming back to it.

------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited November 15, 2003).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Andrea:

That's good old Beethoven for you. When he thought he was in the right, well, you'd better get out of his way or else suffer the consequences.

Though I understand your general sentiment, Beethoven could be almost sickeningly appologetic on occasion when he discovered himeslf to be w.. wr.. wr.. ..less than correct!

------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited November 15, 2003).]

[Gurn Blanston]

Rod,
A very nice rendition of a particular farorite of mine. A question about Hausmusik; I have 2 or 3 of their CD's and they are all "strings only". Did the wind players sit in here, or are they like the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra who have reserves of every instrument available on demand? On my L'Archibudelli pieces that require winds, they are joined by Mozzafiatto members. I am wondering who are the wind players here?


------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Rod,
A very nice rendition of a particular farorite of mine. A question about Hausmusik; I have 2 or 3 of their CD's and they are all "strings only". Did the wind players sit in here, or are they like the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra who have reserves of every instrument available on demand? On my L'Archibudelli pieces that require winds, they are joined by Mozzafiatto members. I am wondering who are the wind players here?

I think Hausmusik are (were?) an ensemble of associates who just work together as they are needed, led by Monica Huggett. I don't know how many other recordings they have done, if any. I will give you the names tomorrow.


------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited November 20, 2003).]

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Rod:
I think Hausmusik are (were?) an ensemble of associates who just work together as they are needed, led by Monica Huggett. I don't know how many other recordings they have done, if any. I will give you the names tomorrow.

Yes, thank you. I have them also doing some truly wonderful Mendelssohn. Their attack on the Octet really qualifies for your desire for "con Brio".

PS - I figure you don't like Mendelssohn, but the playing was the point, not the composer. No offense.

------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[This message has been edited by Gurn Blanston (edited November 20, 2003).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Yes, thank you. I have them also doing some truly wonderful Mendelssohn. Their attack on the Octet really qualifies for your desire for "con Brio".

PS - I figure you don't like Mendelssohn, but the playing was the point, not the composer. No offense.

Non taken. Here is an interesting link:
http://www.signumrecords.com/artists/hausmusik/




------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Rod:
Non taken. Here is an interesting link:
http://www.signumrecords.com/artists/hausmusik/

Yes, that was very interesting. That is the octet recording that I have, although it is on Virgin records. Thanks for the info.

------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Curly]

Not bad! I love how he can change from the deeply minor to the ecstatic.

------------------

[BTHVNFAN]

Although the recording is nice, we should not be too enthousiastic: Beethoven often became mad when later in his life people asked him to write something in the style of opus 20 (the style of Mozart and Haydn). The piece was very popular in his time, but telling that you should do something as you were used to do (10, 20 years ago), is a very clear way of critisism on present achievements. Of course, the name of Mozart in relation to this critisism, was indeed a good reason to become mad. Beethoven was nevertheless very aware of his 'Mozart-replacement' function for much of the Vienese audience.

[Rod]

Originally posted by BTHVNFAN:
Although the recording is nice, we should not be too enthousiastic: Beethoven often became mad when later in his life people asked him to write something in the style of opus 20 (the style of Mozart and Haydn). The piece was very popular in his time, but telling that you should do something as you were used to do (10, 20 years ago), is a very clear way of critisism on present achievements. Of course, the name of Mozart in relation to this critisism, was indeed a good reason to become mad. Beethoven was nevertheless very aware of his 'Mozart-replacement' function for much of the Vienese audience.

I judge all the music as individual pieces within their own context. I never feel the need to compare with earlier or later efforts.


------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin