Search - Franz Joseph Haydn, Colin Davis, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra :: Haydn: The London Symphonies, Vol. 2

A Pure Musical Delight

DWPC | Ventura, CA United States | 07/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A great convergence of wonderful music, an inspired orchestra, a talented conductor, AND high quality recording. This set is one of those rarities. Haydn's London Symphonies demonstrate his genius and sense of humor. No composer neuroses to be found here. This music is masterful, balanced, and in many movements, fun. No. 94, the "Surprise" and 100, the Military, show Haydn's ability to compose richly but not take himself or his patrons too seriously. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra plays with skill and charm (even that horn player who's a bit flat in the Allegretto of the 100th), and Davis directs well (though I think Bernstein's conducting of the 100th had more swagger). Last but by no means least, the quality of the Phillips recording is excellent; clean and well engineered, with no studio boominess shading everything. With so many classical recording being mediocre, I hope your system can reveal all the detail here. This 2-disk set is a bargain."

Excellent, but beware of Davis' groaning

Mr. Allan K. Steel | Sydney, AUS | 02/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Excellent recordings in general, as pointed out by others.



But Davis' groaning is very audible and ANNOYING in places. He does the same on most of his more recent LSO recordings.



Why do conductors groan/grunt away and spoil their recordings so often?



Jochum/DG is another great set of the London symphonies, and doesn't have conductor noises!"

A Magnificent Bargain!

DWPC | 03/14/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One never ceases to be amazed at the inexhaustible invention and creativity displayed by the great Haydn in these marvellous works. As I mentioned in my review of Vol. 1 (q.v.) these symphonies, in which the mature genius was working at full stretch, are brimming with vitality, wit, excitement and the warm humanity that is Haydn's trademark. These performances, with the Concertgebouw magisterially conducted by Sir Colin Davis, are fully worthy of Haydn's inspiration. This set contains some of the finest moments: a desert-island version of the most famous of the twelve "London" Symphonies, the "Surprise" Symphony; an urbane and stylish version of "The Clock"; a performance of the "Military" Symphony with its great slow movement that is second to none; and, beginning the set, one of the lesser known masterpieces, the wonderful no. 93 in D Major, one of the perfect expressions of purely musical humor and wit: the minuet is a rollicking parody, with giddy, lumbering rhythms and hilarious contrasts of timbre and dynamics-- a masterpiece of musical humor (it's as if Haydn were lampooning the very form); the wonderful finale with its famous upbeat joke in the recapitulation. Indeed, each of the symphonies has its own delights. All told, this set is a magnificent bargain, the finest version available at any price, and with its companion volume 1 should be in the collection of every lover of truly great music."