I have oodles to say regarding this first volume of Haydn's symphonies, both the works and the recording itself, so buckle in; this could be a long ride...
It wouldn't surprise me one bit to learn Haydn's Symphonies 2 & 4 predate his First. These first few symphonies come from the composer's time working for Count Morzin, so any cataloging issues are understood.
Lucky for us, what we know as Symphony no. 1 has a crackerjack of an opening, employing a bass pedal over a rising figure, which excitingly screams Mannheim Crescendo, Roller, or some other Mannheim invention. Also, while it might add up to being a really small moment, an exposition tutti rest in the opening movement speaks volumes about the composer, and sets expectations for singular musical choices and touches Haydn makes in his symphonies.
The First Symphony's second movement is full of propriety and geniality while the third and final movement shoots off like a rocket. Yet Fischer retains a hearty downbeat in the latter, giving the finale a rustic swing which is endearing. Haydn's early three-movement structures leave out the Minuet dance, and I can't say I am offended by its absence.
If there is a celebration to be had regarding Symphony no. 2, it is in the work's brevity, coming in under 10 minutes on this recording. Most of this has to do with the lack of repeats and its three-movement structure, but concision will never be overlooked by this listener.
Notable of the first movement is the recurring absence and return of the winds, almost lending a ritornello atmosphere to this work's opening. There is an unending Baroque motion to the middle movement, where Haydn simply sets the two violins in unison opposite the viola and cello in unison for a rather simplistic two-part texture; this is really quite effective.
Another hearty triple-time swing returns in the third movement, where the absence and return of winds from the first movement makes its presence known in the finale as well.
Symphony no. 3 might be the finest of Haydn's quintet of lowest numbered symphonies, including a new fourth movement addition. There are a number of attractive features in the first movement, one of which is a bell-like opening theme which returns again and again. Fischer adds a decay to this, making the whole effect come off wonderfully. Also, Haydn gives the winds opportunities to shine aside mere rhythmic and color doublings, a rarity for sure.
Haydn emphasizes the upbeat in the second movement instead of the downbeat, creating an off-kilter feel. The composer's textures here are rather spare, creating a different slow-movement sound than previous ones. Fischer uses solo strings in the Trio of the Minuet movement, while Haydn highlights the winds too. This is a nice way to give the listener some variety without being wildly over-interpretive.
The final movement brings back the bell effect from the opening movement, but here in a contrapuntal fashion. These four movements have felt the most Baroque to me, if nothing else than for the motoric outer movements, and the spare string sounds within the inner movements. As I mentioned earlier, Haydn's Third Symphony sounds the most satisfying of the five to me. Not just for character and musical effects, but for a substantive musical conversation and development, a high watermark for Haydn in these early works.
I like when Fischer approaches a duple-timed slow movement in a way this listener can sense the '2' feel. I think, however, he makes the right choice to slow down the middle Andante movement, for it is atmospheric and effective as played here, again very Baroque in its incessant walking bass motion.
The Fourth Symphony ends in a Minuet, where Fischer uses solo strings to good effect once more. As I mentioned in my Preview post on my background with Haydn's symphonies (BLOG), I loathe dance movements in general, which for Haydn is the Minuet, but I think Fischer could cure me of my ills if he continues to approach them in this way.
Symphony no. 5 is such an oddity. While it is set in a standard four-movement structure, Haydn opens with a slow movement, apparently based on the Sonata da Chiesa. This presents little problem for me as a listener, for I could see the opening as a slow prelude to the fast 2nd movement.
My issue comes with the two inner movements. Both are set in triple time, and both are uptempo, followed by a fourth up-tempo movement. Conductors need to take care to make the second movement Allegro different than the following Minuet tempo, or it all becomes too similar and same sounding. I don't think Fischer succeeds in this aspect entirely, although again the solo instrument variety in the Trio is appreciated. As a side note, what is with the tuning between horn and strings in the opening of the 2nd movement?!?
When speaking of Haydn's Fifth Symphony, most single out the high-tessitura horns as a point of interest. Indeed, Fischer and the Nimbus team make special effort for the horns to sound out strongly. By the end of the symphony though, I tire of their forward position in the sound, and wish for some variety in the horn placement. Odd coming from me, a dedicated #hornlikes fanboi, but there... it has been said.
While I am making Mozart comparisons, it is always a special gift when that composer used a minor mode in his music, for he traversed minor-keyed tonality so rarely. Haydn, on the other hand, wends his way in and out of minor regularly and sometimes surprisingly. His welcome use of minor is apparent in all of these early symphonies, and never did I object.
So, what of this recording and these performances? Well, I have mentioned the lessened vibrato in the strings, which are played on modern instruments. This bothers me just a little, and will always remind me of the Baroque rather than the Classical Era, so take any such comments from me with a grain of salt. The winds are aurally behind the strings in this first effort. When everyone is playing together, the oboe is completely lost on my ears, while the horns have an aggressive, yet removed, quality.
The Haydn Hall at Esterházy Palace is quite reverberant. Really, this only makes the oboes and horn a little 'watery' sounding, while the strings are not affected as much. There is certainly an ensemble resonance; I am not particularly bothered by it, but the acoustic is as much of a character in this recording as are the players.
Hungarian conductor Ádám Fischer is forward-moving in Haydn's early symphonies, but not obscenely so and always with purpose. I am glad he takes the Minuets at a more moderate pace, for that dance should never be akin to Be-Bop or The Watusi. On the other hand, Fischer takes Haydn's markings of Presto at a proper clip, and his Andante's don't plod. Everything sounds stylish and characterful, all one could ever want in Haydn.
While I can't say every post in this Haydn series will be as ungainly and verbose as this one, I find it more important to pull thoughts out of my head and put them on virtual paper, rather than lose them altogether. If I had high hopes for this Haydn series, this first volume lived up to those expectations. Let us hope for more successes such as these!
Works
Symphony 1 in D Major, Hob. 1:1 (13.19)
Symphony 2 in C Major, Hob. 1:2 (9.27)
Symphony 3 in G Major, Hob. 1:3 (17.24)
Symphony 4 in D Major, Hob. 1:4 (17.29)
Symphony 5 in A Major, Hob. 1:5 (18.29)
Performers
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra
Ádám Fischer, conductor
Label: Nimbus / Brilliant
Year: 1990; 2002
Total Timing: 76.45
No comments:
Post a Comment