Skip the Names!

Recently, I've been working my way through a lot of recordings in my collection of what might be called "standard repertoire" -- except that hardly anyone except specialists is familiar with it.

Consider: how many of Haydn's 104 Symphonies have you listened to?  Or Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas?  Or Dvořák's 14 String Quartets?  Or Mozart's 18 Piano Sonatas? 

In each case, one or more of the works have come to be identified by nicknames, and it's the named works that seem to be most often played and recorded -- and heard.

And yet, what great riches lie available to any music lover who has the courage to abandon familiar pieces and head for the great unknown!

Consider Haydn as an example.  Yes, he wrote 104 symphonies, and not all of them are equal in inspiration.  Yet there are very few that could be called weak, and there's certainly a lot more diversity among them than many people realize.  The Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra under Adam Fischer are consistently convincing and enjoyable in this repertoire, and I return to them again and again.  A particular favourite of mine is the disc which includes #s 9-12 -- a wonderful variety here!

Mozart's sonatas are another case.  Almost everyone knows the Sonata semplice or the Turkish sonata, but there are many more treasures there too.  Mitsuko Uchida has a marvellous sense of Mozartean tone and scale, even though she uses a modern grand piano, yet never lets her playing become too precious or delicate.  It's a great balancing act.

Dvořák's Quartets are crammed from beginning to end with the kind of melodic beauty that the composer was so famous for.  It's intriguing to stumble across earlier versions of melodic ideas that later reached full stature in one of his symphonies.  The Prague Quartet has the full measure of the music, savouring all the beauty without ever drooping or lingering to excess.  The set of miniature pieces called Cypresses are a sizable bonus to this set.

Beethoven's sonatas are incredible.  The diversity and range of this music mirrors Beethoven's entire creative path.  There's all the sheer energy the composer is famous for (and not just in the famous Appassionata and Hammerklavier works), but there's also rustic folklike charm, tender beauty, and deep introspective music which commands silent attention.  I've heard some incredible performances of these, but always seem to wind up back with Wilhelm Kempff.  Unlike many more recent pianists, he doesn't fire off in a race to the finish line but picks speeds that allow the music to be heard.  The other huge advantage for hearing the music is that Kempff's use of sustain pedal is subtle and much more limited than many competitors.

There are multiple recordings of all these works available, but I suspect many of them gather dust on collectors' shelves rather than getting any play time.  Give yourself a treat, and explore beyond the "named" works in some of the so-called "basic repertoire".  I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience and say it was worth the effort!