Search - Haydn, Brahms, Monteux :: Haydn: Symphonies 94 & 101 / Monteux

Monteux and his Haydn

Daniel Lelchuk | NH, USA | 08/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This disc presents some of the best Haydn symphonic recordings ever made. Although one would not think of Monteux for Haydn, really that is the type of music he grew up on, as the French pieces with which he would later become so closely associated had simply not yet been written. He clearly has an affinity for Haydn's music. The tempi seem completely natural; the slow movement of Symphony 101, for example, is light, a perfect "Andante" (which literally means "going"). Compare this reading to that of von Karajan, which is heavy, slow, and pedantic, and one tells immidiately which of the two is the greater Haydn conductor. On this disc, the Finale of Symphony 94 is played with incredible, tight technical pecision, yet the Viennese players really let loose--the spirit is so intense, passionate, and convincing, that it is hard to imagine this movement any better served. Bravo to all, including the recording engineers and technicians, who have made such a fantastic disc."

This is Quite A Treat!

BLee | HK | 06/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
I would just add that the recorded sound of this CD is very nice too. The conductor's reading is wonderfully clear with absolute balance and grace plus inner strength! Furthermore, there is hardly anything more to be desired from the Vienna Philharmonic. It is quite a treat indeed.



In case there is any viewer who aren't too familiar with the conductor, he was a fellow violin student with Thibaud-- presumably the greatest French violinist ever-- and he was good enough to share a first prize with the latter. He then became an orchestral violinist, and then a member of a string quartet before taking up the baton!



I would, nevertheless, suggest viewers to check out Eugene Jochum's 12 London Symphonies by Haydn-- DG boxset of 5 CDs, performed by London Philharmonic and Bayerischen Rundfunks-- alongside the great conductors mentioned in the other review. These are great music in nice stereo recordings recorded mainly in the 60s with some in late 50s and some in early 70s. They are absolutely worth your while."

Monteux and Haydn? Yes!

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 08/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At first look, this CD might seem a bit odd, as one does not usually associate the music of Haydn with the great French conductor Pierre Monteux. Haydn was in fact not very popular in the first half of the 20th Century, and relatively few recordings of his Symphonies were made by the great conductors before 1960. In fact, the only ones I own other than this title are by Beecham, Furtwangler, Fricsay and Walter. Thankfully this brilliant stereo recording of Monteux and the Vienna Philharmonic performing the 94th and 101st Haydn Symphonies from 1959 does exist. An added treat here is Monteux's 1958 reading of Brahms' Haydn Variations with the London Symphony Orchestra. This release is part of Decca/London's "The Classic Sound" series, the predecessor to the "Decca Legends" series. Many of the original "Classic Sound" CDs have been reissued as "Legends" titles, but since this one has not, I expect it will go out of print shortly. Interested parties should act fast."