Haydn: Symphonies, Vol 31

Advantages: A new way to hear Beethoven
Disadvantages: Surpassed by some later period cycles

...INTRODUCTION Beethoven's nine symphonies cover one of the major cornerstones of symphonic literature along with the likes of Haydn, Brahms and Sibelius. Beethoven was born in turbulent times when the common people's dissatisfaction toward the ruling monarchs in Europe was reaching new heights which finally culminated in the French Revolution in 1789. Against this came Beethoven, who was born into a family of musicians in Bonn in 1770. His father wanted to coin in on the child prodigy market created by Mozart whose father had exploited his genius in a similar way. But Beethoven was no Mozart. He wasn't born a child progidy and his performing skills were nowhere near as natural as they were with Mozart. Still he made rapid progress as a piano virtuoso and an amateur composer. He was even supposed to take some lessons with Mozart in Wien... Read review

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Advantages: Pleasant melodies, good structure
Disadvantages: not terribly adventurous in harmony

...Franz Joseph Haydn's music is interesting as it is pleasant to listen to. Although he is actually Austrian, most of Haydn's music was written in Hungary for Prince Esterhazy's twice weekly dinner parties. Which meant that many of Haydn's symphonies and string quartets were written in less than four days - quite an achievement, when you consider the length of time his contemporaries spent writing similar works. Haydn wrote and conducted high standard early classical style classics for a small group of musicians who were employed by the Prince. And it is in many of Haydn's pieces that we can begin to have an insight into the life of him and his musicians. For example, the "Surprise Symphony" was written with the party gusts in mind. It begins in a plodding, slow mesmerising rhythm, which the already bloated and drowsy guests... Read review

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Advantages: Exciting and moving performance, fine singers, orchestra and conductor
Disadvantages: None really

...-excited exuberance of a puppy that has treed its first cat! Background: Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) enjoyed a prolific and highly successful career composing in a wide variety of genres from opera to piano sonatas and is widely regarded to have fine-tuned the Classical Style in his string quartets and symphonies. When Haydn started composing "Die Schoepfung" (The Creation in English) in 1786 he had returned to Vienna after a highly successful time in England where his music was feted by everyone from the King downwards. He was now at the height of his powers, with a doctorate from Oxford University in his pocket and was certainly very aware of the commercial value of his music having made a substantial amount of money in England. From the copious archived documentation, we can read that Haydn felt there was nothing more he could say... Read review

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