Thread: Haydn Recommendations

Hi everyone. I have a problem with my classical music. I don't yet have any Haydn. Main reason being is......where does one start!

So many compositions.

I would like some recommendations. Perhaps 5 recommendations in each of the following categories:

A) Symphonies
B) String Quartets
C) Sonatas
D) Concertos

Also, I would like some recommendations on great recordings of Haydn's "Last Seven Words of Christ", the string quartet version.

Thanks alot, I appreciate all of your input!

Originally Posted by ChamberNut

Hi everyone. I have a problem with my classical music. I don't yet have any Haydn.

Big deal...I don't yet have a copy of Il Quattro Stagioni.

I would like some recommendations. Perhaps 5 recommendations in each of the following categories:

A) Symphonies
B) String Quartets
C) Sonatas
D) Concertos

We are more or less on the same boat. I'd love some Haydn in my collection, too, but, right now, I don't want it so badly that I would actually go out and by it in place of, say, some solo piano, which is heavily lacking in my CDs.

If you want recommendations of works, I'd go with the obvious...
A) London
B) Op.76 (I've seen a CD of quartets 2-4 with the ABQ (EMI))
C) No idea...I've heard a couple with Emmanuel Ax on the piano - sounds pretty.
D) Definitely the trumpet, but beyond that I haven't heard any

I mainly have orchestral music by Haydn. In fact, it's only been about a year since I got my first Haydn CD.. I have come to greatly enjoy his music.

A) This is hard. People will tell you that all symphonies after 8X are great. My personal favourites (and obvious favourites) are 104 'London', 103 'Drumroll', 94 'Surprise', 100 'Military', 102 'The Clock' and 88 (no nickname).

B) I've always heard that Haydn's quartets were awesome. I'm eager to learn more myself.

C) Ditto

D) Yes, the trumpet concerto is excellent. The 2 Cello concerti are wonderful. Haydn wrote a couple Piano concerti too, but the only one I've heard is the D major, Hob. XVIII. I think it's probably the most popular.


I personally have never heard The Seven Last Words of Christ. If you're insterested in Oratorio, "Die Schöpfung" (the Creation) is really great. "The Seasons" is also very nice.

Originally Posted by Morigan

The 2 Cello concerti are wonderful.

Oh, my...how did I manage to forget that! (:angry: at myself)

Indeed that's one beautiful piece of music (the second concerto, that is) and the first movement is just great. I have heard the du Pre/Barenboim version a few times.

Originally Posted by ChamberNut

Also, I would like some recommendations on great recordings of Haydn's "Last Seven Words of Christ", the string quartet version.

I read a review on the DG label, Emerson String Quartet CD of this, and it seems to be very highly regarded.

For Haydn's music, I highly recommend people to try to listen to its symphony No. 49 'La Passione', actually this symphony was composed for the Holy Week in 1768 under the "Sturm und Drang" period.

It is very unique from any other classical period works, its 1st mvt is adagio, 2nd- Allegro di molto,3rd-menuet trio, 4th-presto, all the 4 mvts were written in F minor, only once shifted to F major in 3rd mvt. Other than the technicals, its melody is very spiritual, a lot of pressure.

I love it very much, and my version is played by Amsterdam Baroque Soloist conducted by Ton Koopman. A very original taste!!!! You may try it!!

Good question Chamber

1) Symphonies:

Must: 6-8, 45, 82-87, 93-104

Should: 26, 39, 48, 53, 73, 88-92

Could: 31, 43, 60, 77

More later...

I have a fairly decent Haydn collection. Among the works I would recommend:

Symphonies:

The "London" Symphonies (93-104) by Sir Colin Davis
The "Paris" Symphonies- Sir Neville Marriner

Choral Works:

Die Schöpfung (The Creation) John Eliot Gardiner or the Herbert von Karajan version which is worth while for the singing of Paul Wunderlich alone (to say nothing of Gundula Janowitz, Walter berry, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Krista Ludwig, etc...).
Die Jahrenszeiten (The Seasons) Sir Neville Marriner
Missa Sanctae Caecillae (and other masses)- Simon Preston and The Academy of Ancient Music

Concertos:

Cello Concertos 1 &2- Rostropovich and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

Quartets:

The Kodály Quartet have recorded marvelous versions of many of the key quartets... and at a bargain price on Naxos they are not to be missed. Look for Op. 50, Op. 74, and especially Op. 76. I've heard a marvelous recording by the Landsays as well. I also have a lovely recording of the Op. 77 by the Alban Berg Quartet which is oddly paired with a Berio piece.

The Seven Last Words:

When I first went looking for this piece I found few recordings of the piece in circulation. Now there are more than a handful. You should know that there are multiple versions of the work including the original orchestral version, the full oratorio, a version scored for keyboard and a version for string quartet. I have the Fitzwilliam String Quartet version which is quite good and I have heard great things about the Emerson Quartet recording. If you are after the oratorio check out the Concentus Musicus version with Harnoncourt or the Berlin Akademie fur Alte Musik.

Sonatas:

Certainly get the Emanuel Ax recordings... quite marvelous!

how about his trumpet concerto? nice and fun.

dj

Thank you all for your recommendations!

I have some direction now on where to start!

*St. Luke, I've also heard great things of Kodaly Quartet regarding some of Haydn's quartets.

St. Luke,

I did know that "Last Seven Words....." was recorded under multiple versions, but I thought it was "originally" written for string quartet, not orchestral. Thank you for setting me straight.

Then later....

2) String quartets: opus 20 and 76 are the best imho. Naxos CDs are a good bargain - good price/good performance

3) Sonatas... Can't help you. I am not a fan of music for solo piano. But if you accept in this category his piano trios, which were considered piano sonatas with violin according to him,you will find many good works. Actually, I know only four of them (the one of the CD I own) http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Last-4-P...0204527&sr=1-3

4) Haydn's concertos are less memorable than Mozart's own. A few of them are quite interesting: his trumpet concerto, his cello concerto. And I could add his sinfonia concertante...

If you want some orchestras in particular:

A) For the symphonies, look at

Orchestra of the 18th century (for later symphonies)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (idem)
La Petite Bande (idem)
The Hanover Band (all of them. A very good collection)
You can look too at Naxos, especially for symphonies 6-8 (played by Northern Chamber orchestra)

B) For string quartets, Kodaly quartet recordings are quite fine. (Naxos)

C) For Haydn's trios look at the link I gave in the previous post.

D) Was a good buy. The oboe concerto, which is very good, was attributed to Haydn but is not from him.. http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Trumpet-...0205234&sr=1-4

Sonatas... Can't help you. I am not a fan of music for solo piano.

Would that also apply to Handel's keyboard suites?

Originally Posted by stlukesguild2

Sonatas... Can't help you. I am not a fan of music for solo piano.

Would that also apply to Handel's keyboard suites?

To some extent, yes.

But I prefer solo harpsichord to solo piano.