Search - Joseph Haydn, Frans Bruggen, Orchestra of the 18th Century :: Symphonies 101 & 103

Awesome

Matthew D. White | New Orleans, LA | 12/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Haydn has been reinvented by projecting it into the past. The Orchestra of the 18th Century is an amazingly regal-sounding little band. Symphony #103 is a revelation; I simply can't bear hearing the superstar orchestras play this way too fast anymore; Bruggen slows it down to period tempo and it comes across as a rhythmic masterpiece. An incredible sleeper disc, and one of the best period instrument recordings I've ever heard or owned."

My pick of the liter, with panache!

Peter Bbrown | The Athens of the West, berkeley, ca | 01/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hayden is a staple of the library for many music lovers. Fine, everybody should a a little Hayden in their collection, but I wonder how many have heard the authentic Hayden?

These performances are wonderfully stylish, full of fine neuance, bold,and boyant. Bruggen is able, in my opinion, to convey what the music has to say without beating it to death. Bruggen seems to let Hayden do the playing, unfolding many musical surprises which other big bands seem to miss. That is what makes these performances outstanding. I felt that Bruggen serves up Hayden without editing the score or reinventing the dynamics for extra drama of which there is plenty. Try to listening between the notes, and then see and hear the difference. The sound is uniformly fine. For those of you who are unfamilar with Bruggen, he is a polished musician and pretty much wrote the book on early recorder performance practice. In my view, his knowldege and leadership is without peer save for Harnoncourt and Leinherdt in this area of music."