Period Instruments

[Zon]

I know this has been discussed in the past, but I cant seem to find it now. What recordings of Beethoven are available utilizing period instruments, and how do you all feel about them?
I remember reading discussions here about B liking or disliking modern piano construction. I think he would have preferred the modern construction.

[This message has been edited by Zon (edited March 22, 2003).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Zon:
I know this has been discussed in the past, but I cant seem to find it now. What recordings of Beethoven are available utilizing period instruments, and how do you all feel about them?

Check this link from the 'Greatest Hits' Archive, when I offered some mp3s of Beethoven music played on the fortepiano for assessment (the links to the mp3s will not work now):

http://www.gyrix.com/ubb/Archives/Ar...-1-000177.html

There are not many Beethoven recordings on the fortepiano released these days. But I've got authentic instrument recordings of most of B's principle works involving the keyboard. You'll hear excerpts from my collection soon enough here as mp3 files, so hang around.

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

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited March 21, 2003).]

[heidi]

Originally posted by Zon:
I know this has been discussed in the past, but I cant seem to find it now. What recordings of Beethoven are available utilizing period instruments, and how do you all feel about them?

I have Beethoven's piano concertos and violin concerto by Tafelmusik which is a Canadian Orchestra that uses only period instruments. I like the tone and clarity of the older instruments. Here is a site you can look at that list some recordings:

www.tafelmusik.com/index.cfm?section=rec&subsection=dis


If that doesn't work, just do a search on Tafelmusik.

[Rod]

Originally posted by heidi:
I have Beethoven's piano concertos and violin concerto by Tafelmusik which is a Canadian Orchestra that uses only period instruments. I like the tone and clarity of the older instruments. Here is a site you can look at that list some recordings:

www.tafelmusik.com/index.cfm?section=rec&subsection=dis


If that doesn't work, just do a search on Tafelmusik.

I have the recording of concertos 1 and 2 by Tafelmusic, with Jos van immerseel on the Walter copy fortepiano. I think he uses the moderator stop too much in the slow movements in this recording (which mutes the strings), but the other movements are much better. However there are balance problems I think, strings are a little too forward in the mix relative to the piano, whereas the timpani are rather low. Gardiner has also recorded the concertos on period instruments and receieved better reviews than the Tafelmusic set - however I sampled concertos 1 and 2 from the Gardiner set and I thought the allegro tempi were rather too cautious, especially in no2.

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

[Zon]

There sound of the older piano is thinner and sounds almost like a harpsicord, I know that the construction was considerably less back then but, did they use thinner strings? Or a different type of string?

[Rod]

Originally posted by Zon:
There sound of the older piano is thinner and sounds almost like a harpsicord, I know that the construction was considerably less back then but, did they use thinner strings? Or a different type of string?

The strings are thinner and the construction purely of wood, but I have dozens of fortepiano recording and only in one of them does the fp tone sound so thin that the harpsichord comes to mind. Regardless, if I was interested in these instruments having a tone similar to the modern piano I would just stick with modern pianos and not bother looking elsewhere! The last work to appear on the Rare Beethoven page (Lustig...) is played on a exact copy of an 1780's Stein. Even this particularly early (by Beethoven standards) instrument sounds nothing like a harpsichord. You can judge for yourself soon enough.

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


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited March 22, 2003).]