Haydn Symphonies

It's an interesting idea to have seven symphonies by Franz Joseph Haydn performed by the Wiener Philharmoniker, but led by five different conductors. This recording offers Christoph von Dohnányi's No. 12 from 1991, Zubin Mehta's No. 22 from 1972, Franz Welser-Möst's No. 26 from 1998 and No. 98 from 2009, Nikolaus Harnoncourt's No. 93 and No. 103 from 2009, and Pierre Boulez's No. 104 from 1996.

Recorded in St John's Church West Norwood, London in March 2022, Florilegium release their 31st Channel Classics album: Haydn Symphonies Nos. 6, 7 and 8. This recording involves 18 members of Florilegium, the exact same number Haydn had at his disposal when he composed these symphonies shortly after arriving at Esterhazy in 1761. Haydn’s first symphonies for his new employer, Prince Paul Anton Esterházy, form a group of three entitled Morning, Noon and Night. Perhaps these were a result of the Prince’s suggestion that Haydn write something programmatic along the lines of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

The crowning glory of this collection rests in Frans Brüggen’s marvelous set of the 12 “London” Symphonies. These, along with some of the lesser-known late works, such as Symphonies Nos. 86 and 90 (with its thrilling horn writing), alone justify purchase of this inexpensive 13-disc collection–but really it’s all pretty fine. One of the more anachronistic aspects of the “authentic-instrument” movement has been that works written to be performed without conductor at all (or in collaboration between concertmaster and players) receive the loving ministrations of “specialists” such as Brüggen (and Harnoncourt, for example) whose inclinations in terms of tempo manipulation and expressive phrasing could make a Stokowski blush. And so we find a finale of Symphony No. 88 that’s even slower than Karl Böhm’s, and when you come right down to it, it’s none the worse for the experience: it makes up in charm what it lacks in sheer energy.

This recording, made in 1991, dates from what was perhaps the heyday of the English Chamber Orchestra (although the group's vigorous activities remain undiminished). The ECO, with origins as a conductorless Baroque orchestra, functioned smoothly as an ensemble, with a restrained sound and a high level of mutual sensitivity among the players. In these late Haydn symphonies, that translated into readings that were exceptionally effective in bringing out the humorous details and asides, the extensions of phrases so that they end with a wink or a joke, that are the essence of late Haydn. The orchestra is probably about the size of the one Haydn had at his disposal in London.

Accademia Bizantina under Ottavio Dantone are releasing a new album of Haydn Symphonies, Nos. 78-81. It is the first time Symphonies No.79 and 81 have been recorded on period instruments. This little-known quartet of Haydn symphonies 78-81 date from the years 1782-1784 when Haydn still served as kapellmeister to the Esterhazy family in their spectacular summer and winter palaces in Esterháza (present day Hungary) and Eisenstadt (Austria) where the music was first performed. These four symphonies have been specially recorded for the upcoming 36-CD set of Complete Haydn Symphonies, to be released later this year. It will be the first Haydn symphony cycle on period instruments.

In unserer Edition der Sinfonien Michael Haydns streben wir nun einem neuen Höhepunkt zu: den 6 Sinfonien Nr. 34-39. Haydn schrieb sie in der unglaublich kurzen Zeit von nur sieben Wochen zu Beginn des Jahres 1788, und nicht nur die Tonartenfolge macht deutlich, dass ihnen eine zyklische Idee zugrunde liegt.

Wie spannend und aktuell auch die Beschäftigung mit über 200 Jahre alter Musik sein kann, zeigt unsere Edition aller Sinfonien von Michael Haydn sehr deutlich. Nun ist es mal wieder so weit: vier wundervolle Sinfonien sind produziert. Die Nummern 22, 23, 33 und 1C (Perger 1) stammen aus zwei Schaffensperioden Michael Haydns, die durch etwa 20 Jahre voneinander getrennt sind. Sie geben einen faszinierenden Einblick – sowohl in Haydns kompositorische Entwicklung als auch in die Vielfalt, die das Experimentierfeld Sinfonie jener Jahre bot. Die Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss unter Johannes Goritzki ist hörbar zum Michael-Haydn-Spezialisten geworden.

Musicology is alive and well!« Those who have followed the release history of our edition of the symphonies of Michael Haydn will necessarily have to come to this same conclusion. Whenever another one of his forty-one symphonies that was thought to be lost was found, it was immediately slated for production – and this took its time. During this period the artistic constellations, by which we mean the orchestras and conductors, underwent modification. But now we are on the homestretch: Frank Beermann and the German Chamber Academy of Neuss (continuity!) have produced a splendid recording of the nine »missing« symphonies. These works offer an overview of the entire creative career of Joseph Haydn's younger brother and once again reveal to us a highly imaginative artist who delighted in experimentation and abounded in musical humor. It is thus hardly surprising that the young Mozart repeatedly followed his lead and took him as his model.

Sir Charles Mackerras is one of the world's finest conductors. It's probably safe to say that he has never made a bad record, and his performances of music of the classical period, in particular, are always full of sparkle and excitement. Here, aided by some very polished and lively playing from the Orchestra of St. Luke's, he turns in super performances of two of Haydn's greatest symphonies. The Clock takes its name from the slow movement, which features a ticktock accompaniment to a graceful tune that rapidly evolves into one of Haydn's wittiest inspirations. The London symphony was the last of the twelve that Haydn wrote for his two visits to the English capital in the 1790s. This is wonderful music with great sound.

Haydn's Symphony No. 31 is known as the "Hornsignal" from its prominent horn parts in the first and last movements. Written in anticipation of palace-warming festivities at the Eszterháza estate, the symphony has a celebratory air in its bold fanfares and hunting calls. Haydn's originality is evident not only in his clever motivic development of these ideas, but also in his placement of the horn pairs at a distance from each other. Haydn's experimentation was unusual for its time, but it shows some of the freedom he enjoyed as Prince Nicholas' court composer.