Songs by Diabelli and Mertz

[C. Rech]

Yesterday we finished our recording of Diabelli´s opp 91 and 98 for voice, flute and guitar plus Mertz two Seidl-songs op 52. I played on a Staufer/Legnani model 1829, the soprano was Sigrun Haaser, the flutist Esther Alt. Three years ago we already recorded Diabelli´s "Vier Lieder". Great music!

[Lars Hedelius-Strikkertsen]

Interesting. From where have You got the music.

[C. Rech]

The two Mertz songs can be found at Boije. The copies of Diabelli´s works I bought from the Universitätsbibliothek in Vienna where they have the original prints from 1814. All three works are first recordings. Also we are preparing an edition of Diabelli´s works. However, this may take a while longer. Some more proof reading has to be done especially with the voice part of op 98! I´ll let you know when the edition is finished.

[Rob MacKillop]

Ut Orpheus have published Diabelli's Opus 101, 7 Songs for Voice, Guitar and Flute ad lib. (1815) " seven songs for the heart and the emotions" which look quite interesting. The guitar parts are simple accompaniments, and the flute part is quite florid at times.

The editor, Fabio Rizza, seems to think the "ad lib" refers to the option of missing out the flute part, but I'm wondering if instead it means "flute, recorder, violin, 2nd guitar - anything that can play this treble line"?

[C. Rech]

And op 101 has already been recorded.

"ad lib" or, as is printed on the frontpage of opp 91 and 98, "mit willkürlicher Flöte" indeed means that the flute part is optional. The flute part therefor is printed on a seperate page and Sigrun and I already performed some of the songs without it. However, after having performed the songs with the flute we will not do this anymore. The overall effect is that of completeness. Chambermusic with optional accompaniments were quite common in Diabelli´s time and he composed many pieces like for example a Sonata in A major for piano and guitar or violin with both parts written out. That would also have been the case in opp 91 & 98 if a violin had been intended. And at this time a recorder was totally out of fashion.  Look for example at Giuliani´s op 149 or the famous cooperation with Moscheles and Mayseder "Der Abschied des Troubadours". Here, as in other cases, a piece was composed for a more or less random combination of instruments. I can give you many other examples for this custom.

Besides that: It really is very good music. The quality of Diabelli´s chambermusic with guitar far surpasses that of his works for and with piano. And don´t underestimate the guitar part. The dynamics are of utmost importance and the tempo rubato is really tricky! It only looks simple. Don´t let that fool you. The flute in opp 91 and 98 is not that difficult. Esther of course plays a wooden "Klappenflöte" like it was used around 1815.

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

O good! Sounds like something I would like to play :-)

And the recorder may have been out of fashion but there were still the czakan and the flageolet...

I am looking forward to this recording.

[C. Rech]

And Diabelli did write music specifically for the czakan. Albeit not much.

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

Ha! I just ordered the opus 101 :-). What an unusual title. It looks like great fun!

[Rob MacKillop]

I have it. It's a very good edition, with separate parts for guitar and flute, and very clear. The music seems of a higher level than Diabelli's solo guitar music. I'll be playing one of the songs at the next Scottish Lute and Early Guitar Society meeting in October, but with recorder instead of flute. Not ideal, but it will be fun to do nonetheless. Must ask the recorder player if she has a czakan...

[C. Rech]

The postproduction of the CD is finished! SIGH!!! Next is the edition. That´ll take some more time!

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

I am very interested to hear the results!

[Lars Hedelius-Strikkertsen]

let us know when the edition is done. I'm totally going to buy these pieces