Ernerst Ansermet was the first conductor to record the six ‘Paris’ symphonies of Haydn. Charming works, full of humorous touches, they were reissued often on LP with some of the most entertaining covers ever seen (these are reproduced in the booklet).
One of the greatest joys for a music lover is to discover repertoire that one has not yet heard from a composer whose music one believes one was largely familiar. Beethoven’s folk song settings are truly a treat; this is easily the least familiar and least appreciated realm of his considerable output. What is probably […]
In September 1790, following the death of his princely employer, court composer Haydn and his entire orchestra were sacked. As he was considering this change in circumstances, Haydn received an unexpected visit from Johann Peter Salomon, a German impresario based in London, who made him a tempting offer: an opera, six symphonies and twenty other […]
Born in Vienna in April 1902, the cheery-looking Josef Krips seems to have been pre-destined to achieve eminence in the Viennese classics. He recorded with both, the Wiener Philharmoniker and the key London orchestras for Decca in the 1940s, 50s and 60s and the interpretations have genuine expressive power while remaining devoid of exaggeration or […]
In 1961, at age 86, Pierre Monteux was appointed chief conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra on a 25-year contract. It was typical of his sense of humour that he chose to sign a contract of this length at this time in his life, but there is no doubt that the brief period he enjoyed […]
The Creation is Haydn’s masterpiece, based on a lifetime of experience and reflecting the happy confidence of the eighteenth century. Although there are moments that presage the nineteenth century, it has none of the agonising of the Romantic period. Three years from the end of the eighteenth century it is a summation and celebration of […]
Both of the marvellous cello concertos in this recording, written while Haydn was in the service of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy ‘The Magnificent’, have had checkered careers. In fact, had you asked at any point in the past 200 years how many cello concertos Haydn wrote, the answer would have varied from ‘None’ to ‘Six’. As […]
Alicia de Larrocha made several LPs of Mozart’s solo piano music for Decca between 1973 and 1986. In a series of recordings on Decca Eloquence, reissued to celebrate her artistry, this 3CD set brings together, for the first time, all her solo Mozart – nine sonatas, the D major Rondo, and the D minor and […]
This final volume in an exploration of the art of Irmgard Seefried, encompasses selections (arias and duets) from her oratorio recordings (Bach’s ‘St. Matthew Passion’, Haydn’s ‘Creation’ and Gounod’s ‘St. Cecilia Mass’) as well as the first issue on CD of her recording of Bach’s ‘Wedding’ Cantata. Seefried’s tonal purity, grace of phrase and care […]
