Dear old Papa Haydn, as he was known in 18th century Vienna, was a fatherly figure to the finest musicians of his day. He is also a father of the symphonic form. This week we’ll sample some of his 104 symphonies, following their development from modest orchestral pieces to expressions of wit, humor, and drama.
Haydn Symphonies
Playlist
Episode 1
Haydn: Symphony No. 101 (excerpt)
New York Phil/Bernstein
Sony 47557
1:46
Haydn: Symphony No. 100, “Military” (excerpt)
London Phil/Solti
Lon 4111897
4:17
Haydn: Symphony No. 1
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra/Wolff
Teld 9031-77309
11:49
Haydn: Symphony No. 6, I
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra/Fischer
Nimb 5240
5:34
Haydn: Symphony No. 7, II; Symphony No. 8, IV
The English Concert/Pinnock
Archiv 423098
9:15, 1:16
Haydn: Symphony No. 22, “The Philosopher”
Lausanne Chamber/Lopez-Cobos
Den 75660
15:19
Episode 2
Haydn: Symphony No. 31, “Hornsignal”, I & II
Concentus Musicus Wien/Harnoncourt
Teld 4509 90843
16:38
Haydn: Symphony No. 44, “Trauersinfonie”, I & II;
Symphony No. 45, I, III & IV
Amsterdam Baroque/Koopman
Erato 88173
14:40, 16:39
Episode 3
Haydn: Symphony No. 49, “La Passione”
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/Brown
Hänssler 98490
18:55
Haydn: Symphony No. 60, “Il Distratto”
Orpheus Chamber Ensemble
DG 437783
24:51
Haydn: Symphony No. 73, “La Chasse”, IV
Lausanne Chamber/Lopez-Cobos
Den 18079
4:24
Episode 4
Haydn: Symphony No. 83, “La Poule”, I
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Kuijken
Virg 90793
1:53
Haydn: Symphony No. 88, II; Symphony No. 92, “Oxford”, IV
Vienna Phil/Bernstein
DG 413777
7:17, 5:39
Haydn: Symphony No. 98, IV
English Chamber/Tate
EMI 64285
8:36
Haydn: Symphony No. 100, “Military”, I, II & IV
London Philharmonic/Solti
Lon 4111897
20:39
Episode 5
Haydn: Symphony No. 101, “The Clock”, I & II
Orchestra Of St. Luke’s/Mackerras
Tel 80311
15:53
Haydn: Symphony No. 103, “Drumroll”, I
London Classical Players/Norrington
EMI 55002
9:09
Haydn: Symphony No. 104, “London”, I, III & IV
Pittsburgh Symphony/Previn
EMI 65178
21:24