Franz Joseph Haydn, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus Wien Haydn: The Paris Symphonies Nos. 82-87 Genre:Classical Haydn's large-scale "Paris" Symphonies have had many fine performances on CD, both singly and in sets, including Leonard Bernstein's vigorous version for Sony. But Harnoncourt's is as good as any and better, far better, th... more »an virtually all the competition. His interpretations dance with energy and pointed rhythms, teem with details often left unheard elsewhere, and display tempos that always seem inevitable and right. He exploits Haydn's humor to great effect in the finale of the "Poule" Symphony (No. 83) and brings out the ingenuity and variety of Haydn's fertile imagination. Harnoncourt also observes all repeats, which add to the stature of the works by expanding their size, scope, and grandeur. Not least among the set's many attractions is the playing of the Concentus Musicus Wien, worlds away from their raw-sounding early explorations of the Baroque. Here, their polished playing is full of marvelous wind solos, brilliant brass, and cutting horns to go with the fine strings. Haydn would have loved this set! --Dan Davis« less
Haydn's large-scale "Paris" Symphonies have had many fine performances on CD, both singly and in sets, including Leonard Bernstein's vigorous version for Sony. But Harnoncourt's is as good as any and better, far better, than virtually all the competition. His interpretations dance with energy and pointed rhythms, teem with details often left unheard elsewhere, and display tempos that always seem inevitable and right. He exploits Haydn's humor to great effect in the finale of the "Poule" Symphony (No. 83) and brings out the ingenuity and variety of Haydn's fertile imagination. Harnoncourt also observes all repeats, which add to the stature of the works by expanding their size, scope, and grandeur. Not least among the set's many attractions is the playing of the Concentus Musicus Wien, worlds away from their raw-sounding early explorations of the Baroque. Here, their polished playing is full of marvelous wind solos, brilliant brass, and cutting horns to go with the fine strings. Haydn would have loved this set! --Dan Davis
CD Reviews
Move Over, Lenny!
M. Seeley | Charlotte, NC | 07/27/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is an extraordinary set of "Paris" symphonies by Haydn performed by Nick Harnoncourt and his Concentus Musicus Wein. The only recordng in my collection up until this point was the old NYPO with Lenny. It is comprised of three CDs with two symphonies on each. Why? Nick honors ALL the repeats. The result is more than three hours of music. But Nick manages to make it interesting. None of the performances feel long-drawn-out. And I heard things I never heard before, so for me there was a new sense of discovery. I took a gamble in getting this set because Nick can be an erratic interpreter when it comes to Haydn or Mozart. But this set is a homerun. Concentus Musicus Wein plays with polish, clarity and precision. The woodwinds are especially luscious."
Brash and Loud
Michael H. Prager | Beaufort, NC | 10/30/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This set has received many glowing reviews. Here is the other side, from someone who likes many, but not nearly all, HIP (historically informed performance) approaches to music. I found this set too loud, too brash, and utterly lacking in charm, grace, subtlety, and beauty of tone. Yes, Haydn has often been over-refined in other performances, robbing the music of Haydn's joyous wit and interesting textures. However, to my ears, this set goes way overboard in the other direction. I could recommend this only to those who are firmly in the HIP camp and who value excitement and verve above all else and who therefore don't think Haydn should be at all subtle, dry, or easy on the ears."
A Worthy Listen For All Haydn Fans
Moldyoldie | Motown, USA | 09/15/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Harnoncourt and his period instrument band Concentus Musicus Wien have garnered a reputation bordering on radical when it comes to interpreting the Baroque and Classical repertoire. I suppose "radical" is in the ear of the beholder, but I can certainly identify qualities in these performances which any Haydn buff would find to be at least "idiosyncratic", especially in the slow movements and in the many abrupt tempo changes and original ornamentations. One also hears many details either lost or nonexistent in other recordings. In any case, I find the performances to be not quite as entertaining and enlivening as Bernstein's famous traversal of the Paris Symphonies with the New York Philharmonic from the '60s. One reviewer here on Amazon writes: "I found this set too loud, too brash, and utterly lacking in charm, grace, subtlety, and beauty of tone." Well, I said, that sounds right up my alley! LOL The same things were said of Bernstein's set forty years ago.
Among more recent period instrument recordings, Harnoncourt's is definitely heftier than Sigiswald Kuijken's lighter, more refined renditions with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment on the Virgin label and better recorded than Frans Brüggen's otherwise fine set with the Orchestra of the 18th Century on Philips. What Harnoncourt also does differently is observe all repeats, thus the necessity of spreading his set over three discs as opposed to the usual two."
What's not to like?
P. Weber | Los Angeles | 06/11/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Some of the reviews of this set are utterly rediculous. This is a marvelous set of Hadyn symphonies, every bit as good as Lenny and the over rated Jochum in my view, and far better played and recorded than both. But, to each his own. My only criticism - and this is a small one - is that I don't need all the repeats. But this set and the Fisher set of Paris symphonies are my preference. The reviewers who trashed this set perhaps don't like Haydn's music very much. David Hurwitz from ClassicsToday was right on target. Bah hum-bug the rest of you!"
Harnoncourt shines despite some Baroque irritations
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 12/26/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I would find a period-style version of Haydn more convincing if the usual suspects didn't make him sound exactly like a Baroque composer -- surely Bach and Haydn shouldn't sound the same with the passage of generations and their different cultural settings. Leaving that aside, Harnoncourt's approach is fresh and engaging. I agree with all the positive points made by the Amazon reviewer (inclduing the agreeable surprise that the once raw-sounding Concentus Musicus Wien now sounds very polished -- they have almost erased the zing of vibratoless strings).
The chief detraction, for those who dislike this set, is that Harnoncourt is too brash and punchy. That holds true here and there, but in general these "Paris" Symphonies sound much less brash than Harnoncourt's Mozart -- he's at times even relaxed, and there's no lack of nuance in the slow movements despite the fast tempos. Only occasionally did I feel that he was impatiently running through a movement. I will never give up Bernstein's famous set on Sony, wich excels at high spirits and infectious humor (not the scowling Harnoncourt's strengths), but among the other versions I've heard, this engaging, original one stands out."
