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Joseph Haydn Londoner Sinfonien Vol. 2 (Nr. 94 „Mit dem Paukenschlag“, 95, 98 & 99)
After Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen under Paavo Järvi turns its attention to Joseph Haydn's London symphonies. In the second volume, these are mature works from 1791-93, which have the advantage of not having to compete with Giovanni Antonini's Haydn project (the latter started earlier and is not yet as advanced). Lucky for them! The Bremen ensemble's performance seems so original, wittily to the point and at the same time full of blood, as if the works didn't know what to do with their sheer joie de vivre. Magnificent!
The Adagio of the opening No. 94 ‘Surprise’ (‘Mit dem Paukenschlag’) displays a plumpness and juiciness that one would hardly have expected from the supposed ‘Papa’. The warm sound of the Andante is overtaken by the coarse dance steps of the minuet, so that in the finale a burlesque finale mocks all dryness and academicism.
The secret, one soon realises, lies in the ‘under-body-like’ foundation of the tone colour. An impression of teasing or jocularity can never arise through ‘depth’. In the introductory Adagio of No. 99, the work is as rumblingly heavy as if it were a late Beethoven - with a greater lightness of weight - and thus achieves a completely unique character of its own. The introduction does not appear formulaic or transitory, but rather as a serious stretch of musical collection.
No. 95 presents itself as profoundly as later Mozart. No. 98, which concludes the double set, almost imagines Schubert. Mind you, not by imposing sound colours here. Haydn is taken more seriously and emerges all the more humorous. A discographic highlight even for Paavo Järvi, the frequent recording artist.
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