György Vashegyi – Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 6-8 (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:11:38 minutes | 753 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Accent
founded in 1761, the year Joseph Haydn entered the service of the Esterházy family, for which he would remain for more than thirty years, Symphonies No. 6, 7 and 8 form a unique trilogy in the history of music and are, according to musicologist Marc Vignal, Haydn’s first masterpieces in this field, and probably even for the genre of the symphony in general.
It must be said that Haydn had put all his science and know-how into it, at the time when he was still on trial with the prince, with an overwhelming specification that would give nightmares to all musicians today. In these three jewels of a concise and virtuoso writing, Haydn distributes solos to all the musicians of the orchestra, including the double bass and the bassoon, who are not accustomed to this kind of exercise. It is a festival of sound garlands, as found in the ancient Baroque “concerto grosso”, alternating with dark pages of a moving gravity.
The subtitles, the only ones given by Haydn himself to his symphonies, ” le Matin “, ” le Midi “, ” Le Soir “, were suggested to him and even commissioned by prince Paul Anton to describe an allegory of the “hours of the day” and, above all, of the three ages of life.
Composed in 1761, the year Joseph Haydn became the court musician for the Esterházy Family (with whom he stayed for more than thirty years), Symphonies No. 6, 7 and 8 form a unique trilogy in the history of music and are, according to musicologist Marc Vignal, Haydn’s first masterpieces in this field and probably even for symphonies in general. Haydn put all his theory and know-how into the compositions, at a time when he was still being tested by the Prince, having to meet overwhelming specifications that would give any musician today nightmares. In these three gems of concise, virtuosic composing, Haydn distributes solos to all the musicians of the orchestra, including the double bass and bassoon, instruments which were not accustomed to this kind of exercise. It is a fiesta of sonic garlands, as found in the ancient baroque “concerto grosso”, alternating with dark, deeply moving passages. The subtitles, the only ones Haydn himself gave to his symphonies, “Le Matin”, “Le Midi”, “Le Soir”, were suggested and even commissioned by Prince Paul Anton to describe an allegory of the “Hours of the Day” and, above all, the three stages of life. Recorded in 2019 in the splendid Apollo Hall of Eszterháza Castle in Fertöd, where Haydn wrote many symphonies (though not these ones), this recording by the Orfeo Orchestra of Budapest – not to be confused with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra – conducted by György Vashegyi obviously has an undeniably authentic feel. – François Hudry
Tracklist:
1. Orfeo Orchestra – I. Adagio – Allegro (05:58)
2. Orfeo Orchestra – II. Adagio (07:37)
3. Orfeo Orchestra – III. Minuet (04:19)
4. Orfeo Orchestra – IV. Finale. Allegro (04:45)
5. Orfeo Orchestra – I. Adagio – Allegro (08:01)
6. Orfeo Orchestra – II. Recitativo. Adagio (02:38)
7. Orfeo Orchestra – III. Adagio (06:34)
8. Orfeo Orchestra – IV. Minuet (03:51)
9. Orfeo Orchestra – V. Finale. Allegro (04:30)
10. Orfeo Orchestra – I. Allegro molto (04:15)
11. Orfeo Orchestra – II. Andante (10:26)
12. Orfeo Orchestra – III. Minuet (03:23)
13. Orfeo Orchestra – IV. La tempesta. Presto (05:13)
