Hermann Goetz: Piano Chamber Music

1. Trio for piano, violin & cello in G Minor, Op 1
Composed by Hermann Goetz
with Horst Gobel , Hans Maile

2. Quartet for piano & strings in E, Op 6
Composed by Hermann Goetz
with Horst Gobel , Hans Maile

3. Quintet for piano & strings in C minor, Op 16
Composed by Hermann Goetz
with Horst Gobel , Hans Maile

4. Three Easy Pieces for violin & piano, Op 2
Composed by Hermann Goetz
with Horst Gobel , Hans Maile

5. Sonata for piano 4-hands in G minor, Op 17
Composed by Hermann Goetz
with Horst Gobel

Tracks:

Pno Trio in g, Op.1: Langsam-Feurig - Gobel Trio Belin
Pno Trio in g, Op.1: Sehr Ruhig - Gobel Trio Belin
Pno Trio in g, Op.1: Fluchtig, Erregt - Gobel Trio Belin
Pno Trio in g, Op.1: Massig Rasch-Ziemlich Lebhaft - Gobel Trio Belin
Qt in E, Op.6: Rasch Und Feurig - Lois Landsverk
Qt in E, Op.6: Langsam - Lois Landsverk
Qt in E, Op.6: Scherzo. Sehr Lebhaft - Lois Landsverk
Qt in E, Op.6: Sehr Langsam-Frisch Und Lebendig - Lois Landsverk

Tracks:

Qnt in c, Op.16: Andante Sostenuto-Allegro Con Fuoco - Akira Akahoshi
Qnt in c, Op.16: Andante Con Moto - Akira Akahoshi
Qnt in c, Op.16: Allegro Moderato (Quasi Menuetto) - Akira Akahoshi
Qnt in c, Op.16: Allegro Vivace - Akira Akahoshi
Three Easy Pieces, Op.2: Marsch. Allegretto - Gobel Trio Belin
Three Easy Pieces, Op.2: Romanze. Adagio - Gobel Trio Belin
Three Easy Pieces, Op.2: Rondo. Allegretto Moderato - Gobel Trio Belin
Son g, Op.17: Langsam-Sehr Lebhaft - Kauro Konno
Son g, Op.17: Massig Bewegt - Kauro Konno
Son g, Op.17: Langsam-Grazios, Und Nicht Zu Rasch - Kauro Konno

Hermann Goetz: Piano Quintets, Op. 16; Piano Quartet, Op. 6

Average customer rating:

Two Chamber Works Worth Reviving

Hermann Goetz: Piano Quintets, Op. 16; Piano Quartet, Op. 6
Hermann Goetz , Pro Arte Piano Quartet , and Paul Marrion
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000DJENN
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

First Movement: Andante Sostenuto - Allegro Con Fuoco
Second Movement: Andante Con Moto
Third Movement: Allegro Moderato
Fourth Movement: Allegro Vivace
First Movement: Rasch Und Feurig
Second Movement: Langsam (Theme & Variations)
Third Movement: Scherzo - Sehr Lebhaft
Fourth Movement: Sehr Langsam - Frisch Und Lebendig

Customer Reviews:

Two Chamber Works Worth Reviving.......2005-06-04

To the extent that Hermann Goetz (1840-1876) is remembered at all it is for his comic opera 'The Taming of the Shrew' ('Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung'). But in his all too brief life -- he died just short of his 36th birthday -- he left a body of work that includes another opera, 'Francesca da Rimini' (finished by Ernst Frank after his death), a symphony, two piano concerti, a violin concerto, a string quartet, some lieder, choral works and piano music,

The especially fine Piano Quintet in C Minor, Op. 16, written in 1874 for the 'Trout Quintet' combination of piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass, contains a quotation from Goethe: 'Und wenn der Mensch in seiner Qual verstummt, gab mir ein Gott zu sagen, was ich leide' ('Though Man cannot speak of his Fate, a God gave me the power to say how I suffer'). As the Grove's has it, 'It is the mature work of a man who, though resigned to death, still has much to say and the technique with which to say it.' It is characterized by masterful construction, reminiscent of Schumann, and a plethora of memorable melodies. Particularly notable is the wide range of the texture, with the bass often playing in its deepest range from the very opening measures. The performance here by the Pro Arte Piano Quartet with bassist Paul Marrion (all members of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Players) is all one could ask.

The Piano Quartet in E Major, Op. 6, is earlier but no less impressive. It is long -- 40+ minutes -- and expansive. It revels in wonderful melodies, is somewhat lighter in texture, has an inventive three-voice canon as the third movement's trio and an almost Brahmsian finale that begins with a hesitant slow introduction followed by a rollicking workout that carries us headlong to the work's end. The quartet is cholesterol-rich and all the better for that.

These two pieces have been recorded on cpo but I have not heard that issue. But one hopes that these recordings presage a resurgence of Goetz's music on CD.

Heartily recommended.

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

AHHHHHH...... GOETZ

Goetz: Complete Chamber Music

Manufacturer: Genesis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000AGL2
Release Date: 1998-08-18

Tracks:

Pno Qt in E, Op.6: I. Rasch Und Feurig - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King
Pno Qt in E, Op.6: II. Langsam - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King
Pno Qt in E, Op.6: III. Scherzo - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King
Pno Qt in E, Op.6: IV. Sehr Langsam - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King
Three Easy Pno Pieces, Op.2: I. Marsch - Glenn Dicterow/Gerald Robbins
Three Easy Pno Pieces, Op.2: II. Romanze - Glenn Dicterow/Gerald Robbins
Three Easy Pno Pieces, Op.2: III. Rondo - Glenn Dicterow/Gerald Robbins

Tracks:

Pno Trio in g, Op.1: I. Langsam - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Terry King
Pno Trio in g, Op.1: II. Sehr Ruhig - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Terry King
Pno Trio in g, Op.1: III. Fluchtig, Erregt - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Terry King
Pno Trio in g, Op.1: IV. Massig Rasch - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Terry King
Pno Qnt in c, Op.16: I. Andante Sostenuto. Allegro Con Fuoco - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King/Dennis Trembly
Pno Qnt in c, Op.16: II. Andante Con Moto - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King/Dennis Trembly
Pno Qnt in c, Op.16: III. Allegro Moderato - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King/Dennis Trembly
Pno Qnt in c, Op.16: IV. Allegro Vivace - Gerald Robbins/Glenn Dicterow/Alan De Veritch/Terry King/Dennis Trembly

Amazon.com

Bernard Shaw said Goetz's Symphony was the greatest since Beethoven, blithely brushing aside Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Brahms. Goetz wasn't that good (and Shaw wasn't that good a music critic), but he showed a great deal of promise before his death at 36. The way Goetz develops his material is not compelling, but his tuneful romantic style can be very appealing, especially in these fine performances by a group of experienced chamber players. This set could have been more attractive if it offered more than 95 minutes of music on two full-priced CDs. But the analog recordings from the mid-'70s still sound excellent. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

AHHHHHH...... GOETZ.......2001-09-13

As in his piano music, I find the wistful, German-born composer Hermann Gustav Goetz [1840-1876] at his most original, unassuming, melodic and nostalgic in these four chamber works that, from simplest to complex, form his sole output. And, as in his piano music, again, we find a "pure" Goetz with scarcely a hint of derivation in any direction. How these beautiful works languished for over one hundred years simply boggles the mind; their CD incarnation, then, is cause to rejoice, especially in performances like these, so attuned to the Goetz spirit, the joy, the melancholy, the romance and tragedy.

How could one not fall instantly in love with the Piano Quartet in E, Op. 6 (1867)? The opening theme of the first movement (7:57), alone, is glorious--- it soars, leading us directly into a secondary development whose lyricism plunges straight to our heart; throughout, Goetz intertwines these melodies hauntingly. The following Langsam (11:06), filled with a languid, aching romanticism (so akin to the composer's more intimate works), is probably one of the most moving you will have heard in a long, long time. Engaging, too, is its seque into the Scherzo (4:53), without pause. This ingenious co-joining is so graced, I can't blame Goetz for allowing his emotions to flood out. And with another brilliant stroke, the composer begins the Sehr langsam finale (8:31), not in merriment, but with yet another heart-rending theme that wrings us dry before breaking out in songful elation.

The Three Easy Pieces for Violin and Piano of 1863, Op. 2 (12:07), are fairly lightweight works, but are nonetheless attractive "chips" from the Goetz workbench, especially the endearing "Romanze."

The Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 1, also composed in 1863 (24:42), is a splendid, multi-faceted jewel whose Langsam first movement, initially dark-hued, but turning zesty, resolves into the consummate beauty of the second movement, Sehr ruhig. Melodies like these are simply too gorgeous to describe. They must be heard. The Fluchtig-Erregt, following, brings us into some Mendelssohnian territory, briefly and lightly, and the concluding Massig rasch, knitting and weaving previous themes in a tapestry of sorrow and joy, with piano dancing, strings plucking or consoling, ends in a perfect, boisterous surge that is irresistible.

With the Piano Quintet in C Minor, Op. 16 (25:28), written in 1874, a mere two years before the composer's ridiculously untimely death, we enter a world darker and deeper. Here Goetz truly examines his soul, his fears, the ultimate doom he knew was coming, and over which he had no control. The Quintet is his ultimate expression of life's wonder and futility--- beautiful and intense--- and his final "raging at the dying of the light." The stunningly moving Andante, with its strings conversing back and forth, as in prayer, and the piano comforting them, is simply sublime.

Sublime, as well, is the playing of every member of this wonderful ensemble, each deserving the highest praise. The sound given them is intimate, warm, immediate, and does full justice to the music of this humble composer.

[Running time--- CD 1: 45:02 CD 2: 50:21]

Goetz: Trio in Gm; Kirchner: Novelleten Op59

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Goetz: Trio in Gm; Kirchner: Novelleten Op59

Manufacturer: Hungaroton
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004YLBZ
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Average customer rating:

Romantic Connections

Manufacturer: Arsis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000JF5G
Release Date: 2000-02-22

Average customer rating:

"THROUGH FIELDS AND HALLS OF BEECH"

Goetz: Complete Works for Solo Piano

Manufacturer: Genesis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005WWN
Release Date: 1993-12-29

Tracks:

Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft I: 1. Durch Feld Und Buchenhallen
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft I: 2. Frisch In Die Welt Hinaus
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft I: 3. Einsamkeit
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft I: 4. Liebesscherze
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft I: 5. Bei Dir!
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft II: 6. Ihr Fluchtigen Winde, Wohin, Wohin?
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft II: 7. Heimatklang
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft II: 8. Fruhlingsgruss
Lose Blatter, Op.7: Heft II: 9. Auf Wiedersehen!
Son in F, Op.8, No.1: Allegro Moderato
Son in F, Op.8, No.1: Andante Con Moto
Son in F, Op.8, No.1: Allegretto Grazioso
Son in E flat, Op.8, No.2: Allegro Con Brio
Son in E flat, Op.8, No.2: Andantino
Son in E flat, Op.8, No.2: Rondo: Allegro Scherzando
Genrebilder, Op.13: I. Andantino Espressivo
Genrebilder, Op.13: II. Allegro Scherzando
Genrebilder, Op.13: III. Larghetto
Genrebilder, Op.13: IV. Presto
Genrebilder, Op.13: V. Allegro Impetuoso
Genrebilder, Op.13: VI. Larghetto

Customer Reviews:

"THROUGH FIELDS AND HALLS OF BEECH".......2000-11-22

Chances are you've never heard of the tragically short-lived Hermann Goetz (1840-1876), nor any of his music, piano or otherwise. Such a simple flickering of a man. An unambitious, unambiguous wisp, the gentlest of souls amongst the grandest German Romantic composers. Such a man, especially a composer, comes rarely through life. No, chances are you've never heard of Hermann Goetz.

I hadn't, either, until the mid-70s, when Genesis Records, Inc., those incredibly enterprising champions of obscure Romantic composers, released the vinyl of the present CD, performed by Adrian Ruiz, the champion of obscure Romantic piano works. Well, I didn't waste much time buying the Goetz (almost twenty-five years ago!) and scurrying home to listen to same.

It was love-at-first-hearing.

When we are impressed and moved by music, we want to share our feelings immediately. I think this is, primarily, what Goetz held in his heart. What we hear, and what is so attractive about his music, is, well, Goetz. The man, not the composer. In these contagiously original and lyrical pieces, which comprise his entire ouvre for piano, we hear Goetz: poignant and tragic, mellow and life-affirming, hopeful, fearful, melancholy and joyous--- the compleat Romantic. With titles like "Fresh Out in the World," "Solitude," "With You!," "Ye Fleeting Winds, Where to, Where to?," "Auf Wiedersehen," and "Through Field and Halls of Beech," we hear more than piano music alone.

[Running time: 55:45]