Haydn: Symphonies 26, 52, 53; Sinfonia Concertante; Violin Concertos (2000)

Haydn's L'impereale Symphony And More

am a great admirer of the symphonies of Haydn and purchased this two-volume CD primarily to hear the symphony no. 53 in D major, "L'impereale", which I hadn't known before. I wasn't disappointed. This budget-priced CD is a true find and includes two additional Haydn symphonies in the minor key (from what is sometimes called his sturm und drang period) and three concerted works, including a little-known masterpiece, the sinfonia concertante. Sigiswald Kukijen conducts La Petite Band for the symphonies and Elizabeth Walfish conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment for the concertos, all on period instruments. My fellow Amazon reviews are properly enthusiastic about this release. If you want to explore Haydn, you can't go wrong here.

Haydn's four-movement "L'impereale" symphony dates from 1775 -- 1776, when the composer was primarily employed with operas. It uses materials Haydn recycled from other works, and exists in at least four different versions, all of which makes the fresh, strong character of the work remarkable. The work here opens with a maestoso slow introduction featuring the tympani, as does the symphony as a whole. The introduction is followed by a lively, energetic opening movement. The second movement is an endearing folksong-like melody which would not be out of place in "The Magic Flute" followed by a series of simple variations. The minuet, well-defined, and rhythmic is memorable for the large, unexpected ritard at the conclusion of the primary theme. The finale is flowing and bumptious. It seems a predecessor of Beethoven's finales to his fourth or eighth symphonies. This is a delightful work.

The other symphonies on the CD, the symphony no. 26 in minor, "Lamentation", and the symphony no. 52 in C minor are of a much more tragic character. They were composed slightly earlier than no. 53 (the number of the "Lamentation" is misleadingly low) and are passionate and severe. The three-movement "Lamentation" is passion-music with the first two movements initially performed in church. The opening movement includes well-defined sections marking the stages of the passion narrative. The highlight of the adagio second movement is the appearance of the horns as the climax of the chorale-like theme. The finale is a tragically intense rondo. The symphony no. 52 in c minor is also of a tragic cast but somewhat less well-known than the its companion works: the "Lamentation", "Farewell" and "Trauer" symphonies. It receives a compelling reading here.

For the most part, Haydn's concertos lack the power and appeal of his symphonic writing. Yet the sinfonia concertante, composed during the first of Haydn's trips to London, (the trips that produced his 12 "London" symphonies) is a work that impresses me more with each hearing. (I was familiar with this work from the recording by Levy-Bruhl on Naxos.) This unusual concertante work for violin, cello, bassoon, and oboe soloists and orchestra may lack dramatic power, but it compensates by its leisurely, elevated flow, juxtaposition of solo and ensemble passages, and in the sheer gemutlichkeit pleasure of its music-making. Beethoven's triple concerto offers an inevitable comparison, a work I enjoy and believe undervalued.

The violin concerto in C major is an early work of Haydn, composed around 1763, at the time he entered the employment of the Esterhazy family. It features virtuosic writing for the soloist in the outer movement and a poignant slow middle movement. The remaining work on this CD, the violin concerto in G major, is pleasant but bland. The authenticity of this work has been questioned.

Robin Friedman