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Monday, October 23, 2017

Joseph Haydn - Symphonies Nos. 88-92; Sinfonia concertante (Simon Rattle)


Information

Composer: Joseph Haydn

CD1:
  • (01-04) Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob. I/88
  • (05-08) Symphony No. 89 in F major, Hob. I/89
  • (09-13) Symphony No. 90 in C major, Hob. I/90
CD2:
  • (01-04) Symphony No. 91 in E flat major, Hob. I/91
  • (05-08) Symphony No. 92 in G major "Oxford", Hob. I/92
  • (09-11) Sinfonia concertante in B flat major for violin, cello, oboe and bassoon, Hob. I/105

Toru Yasunaga, violin (Hob. I/105)
Georg Faust, cello (Hob. I/105)
Jonathan Kelly, oboe (Hob. I/105)
Stefan Schweigert, bassoon (Hob. I/105)

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Simon Rattle, conductor

Date: 2007
Label: Warner Classics (original on EMI)

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Review

Some nods to 'authenticity' but this is big-band Haydn and Rattle relishes it

No period instruments, of course; but first and second violins are antiphonally separated, instrumental balancing is mostly impeccable (the brass is at times backward in Nos 91 and 92, string sound is somewhat grainy too) and timpani, if occasionally unclear, seem to be struck with hard sticks. Simon Rattle is not ignorant of historically informed practices, even using, as he did in his Haydn symphony recordings with the CBSO, valve horns at high pitch where necessary.

That’s about as far as he goes towards “authenticity”. No doctrinaire conjecture on how the music was originally played, and therefore ought to be played. Instead he explores how it might be played. But might it be right to embellish lines both first time and during repeats? Or – No 92 excepted – to slow down for the Trios? Cherished notions could be challenged, but Rattle’s grasp of form prevents the decorations from trivialising the music. And the tempi for the Trios match their characters, often different from those of Minuets.

Rattle offers Haydn writ large, imposing in concept even in the relatively reserved No 89. The trumpet and timpani interjections in the otherwise hymning slow movement of No 88 are startlingly forceful. Strength of interpretative character and virtuoso playing are in abundance everywhere, no more so than in No 90 – horns ringing in C alto – that ends in a manic Allegro assai. And the Berlin audience’s reaction to the long silence after bar 167 is yours to savour. One thing’s for sure: Haydn can still stir us.

-- Nalen Anthoni, Gramophone

More reviews:
MusicWeb International  RECORDING OF THE MONTH
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Oct11/Haydn_Rattle_3942372.htm
http://www.classical-music.com/review/haydn-250
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/aug/17/classicalmusicandopera.shopping
https://classicalsource.com/db_control/db_cd_review.php?id=4886
http://www.musicalcriticism.com/recordings/cd-rattle-haydn.shtml
https://www.allmusic.com/album/haydn-symphonies-nos-88-92-sinfonia-concertante-mw0001857146
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Symphonies-Nos-88-92-Simon-Rattle/dp/B000R3QZ2C

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Joseph Haydn (31 March 1732 – 31 May 1809) was a prominent and prolific Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the piano trio and his contributions to musical form have earned him the epithets "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet". Haydn's work was central to the development of what came to be called sonata form. At the time of his death, aged 77, he was one of the most celebrated composers in Europe. Haydn was a friend and mentor of Mozart, a teacher of Beethoven, and the older brother of composer Michael Haydn.

***

Simon Rattle (born 19 January 1955 in London), is an English conductor. He rose to international prominence while being Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–98). He has been principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic since 2002, and is going to leave his position at the end of his current contract, in 2018. Rattle took up his position as Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra in September 2017. Rattle has conducted a wide variety of music and is best known for his interpretations of late 19th- and early 20th-century composers such as Gustav Mahler.

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FLAC, tracks
Links in comment
Enjoy!

4 comments:

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    1. Could you put again the links, please? Thanks.
      Ivan

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  2. Choose one link, copy it to your browser's address bar, wait 5 seconds, then click on 'Skip Ad' (or 'Continue') (top right).
    If you are asked to download anything, IGNORE, only download from file hosting site (mega.nz).
    If MEGA shows 'Bandwidth Limit Exceeded' message, try to create a free account.

    CD1
    http://optitopt.com/2dAD
    or
    https://ouo.io/gE4veB
    or
    http://uii.io/GcHN9

    CD2
    http://optitopt.com/2dAE
    or
    https://ouo.io/3KP2sBE
    or
    http://uii.io/IQtKJ

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  3. Thank you very much. Greetings. Ivan

    ReplyDelete