Steven Schwartz wrote:

>Now HIP has made its way into the Classical and Romantic eras - in short,
>the standard orchestral repertoire.  For many reasons, I believe they'll
>remain largely an addendum here ...
>
>Chamber music, however, is less "feudal," if you will.  The
>field seems more open to just the kind of rethinking HIP represents.

I'm interested that you've come to this conclusion.  It seems to me
that the period performance movement has been very successful in the
're-invention' of Classical and Romantic orchestral music, and much less
so in the area of chamber music.  We have dozens of HIP recordings of the
Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven symphonies, a growing selection of Brahms
and Schumann cycles, as well as Wagner, Bruckner, etc.  As far as
original-instruments chamber music is concerned, there are only a handful
of groups who have experimented with Romantic repertoire, and most haven't
yet tackled the Everests of the genre, such as late Beethoven quartets,
Brahms piano trios etc.

I believe that Romantic period style will always remain less 'shocking'
when in an orchestral context rather than in chamber music.

Any thoughts?

Brian Blackwell