Performers: Vienna Haydn Sinfonietta
Composers: Franz Joseph Haydn
Conductors: Manfred Huss
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Bis
Size: 568 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Disc 1:
01. Acide: Overture, Hob.Ia:5
02. Lo speziale: Overture, Hob.Ia:10
03. Le pescatrici: Overture, Hob.I:106
04. L’infedelta delusa: Overture, Hob.Ia:1
05. Der Gotterrat: Overture, Hob.Xxixa:1a
06. Philemon und Baucis, Hob.Ia:8: Philemon und Baucis: Overture, Hob.Ia:8
07. Il ritorno di Tobia: Overture, Hob.Ia:2
08. L’incontro improvviso: Overture, Hob.Ia:6
09. Die Feuersbrunst, Hob.Xxixa:4: Overture
10. Il Mondo Della Luna, Hob.Xxviii:7: Sinfonia (Concert Version Ending By M. Huss)
Disc 2:
01. Overture in D major, Hob.Ia:7
02. La vera costanza: Overture, Hob.Ia:15
03. L’isola disabitata: Overture, Hob.Ia:13
04. La fedelta premiata: Sinfonia, Hob.Ia:11
05. Orlando paladino: Overture, Hob.Ia:16
06. Armida: Overture, Hob.Ia:14
07. Overture in D major, Hob.Ia:4
08. Die Sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlosers am Kreuze: Introduzione, Hob.XX:1
09. L’anima del filosofo, ossia Orfeo ed Euridice: Overture, Hob.Ia:3
10. Die Schopfung (The Creation), Hob.XXI:2: Overture: Die Vorstellung des Chaos
11. Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons), Hob.XXI:3: Der Herbst (Autumn): Overture
12. Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons), Hob.XXI:3: Der Winter (Winter): Overture
Some seldom heard Haydn
Haydn had such a large oeuvre that even dedicated Haydnistos can be hard-pressed to say that they have heard every recorded work he wrote. Many of the pieces on this disk will fill those gaps!
If you are part of the legion that finds it difficult to sit through an opera, you are probably well-aware that as far as instrumental music goes, the overture is where it’s at. Not all of Haydn’s opera overtures have survived, but all that have are included here. In addition, many single movement orchestral works that he composed were called ‘overtures’ since at that time, the boundaries of the symphony were not clearly defined. So all of those works are also here. Finally, the overtures and instrumental pieces from the great oratorios are represented also.
The music is played by one of the premier period instrument ensembles playing today, the Haydn Sinfonietta Wien, led by Haydn scholar Manfred Huss and concert master and leading baroque violinist Simon Standage. The playing is impeccable, and the recorded sound is excellent, typically of BIS.
This is some very enjoyable, not particularly ‘heavy’ music (as befits its reason for being) that gives a more rounded view of this great composer. Highly recommended!