Bob Draper <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Haydn's opera ouvre is an immotive issue.

Yeah, I like "the journey to the Moon" a lot.  The thing is fun!

Bob Draper <[log in to unmask]> continues in another post:

>I have found the Berwald symphonies highly original.  I can't think of
>anyone who borrowed the ideas and used them better.

I don't know what is the fuss about Berwald.  His symphonies are
fairly boring, they never became liked in his lifetime, and they didn't
deserve to be either.  He has rather long development parts, but as far
as I understand, much of his material should be in the trashbox.  His
Orchestrations are interesting though, but not more.  Furthermore of
course he has his parts, where he is interesting, like in some unusual
modulations, like in the finale to Sinfonie Singuliere...but I still think
he succeeds best in works like his septett, if originality is the gauge.

Berwald is however overrated in the same way Johan Helmich Roman
is. For Roman his first movement (first when played out of 24) to
Drottningholmsmusiken is surely a riot, an intellegent guy, smooth on the
surface, but with a striking lack of kind emotion shining through, which is
distirbing.  Still after all, to make two cookies, I must say there is much
in Roman I for long liked, although it is difficult to forgive him for that
cantata "Dicksit".

Mats Norrman
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