Of the huge compositional output of Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) his concertos are probably among the least
known to the general listening public. This is a pity since there is much to
enjoy, particularly in the keyboard concertos. Indeed, during the composer’s
lifetime his Concerto for clavier and
orchestra in D major, Hob.XVIII:11 gained much popularity.
The Concerto for clavier and orchestra in D
major features on a re-release in Harmonia Mundi’s excellent mid-price hmGold series www.harmoniamundi.com/#!/themes/hm-gold
along with Haydn’s Concerto for clavier and strings in G major, Hob.XVIII:4 and Double concerto for klavier, violin and
strings in F major, Hob. XVIII:6 played by Andreas Staier www.andreas-staier.de with
Gottfried von der Goltz www.barockorchester.de/das-orchester/ensemble/violine/gottfried-von-der-goltz.html
as
soloist and directing the Freiburger Barockorchester www.barockorchester.de
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| HMG 501854 |
Andreas Staier plays a very fine copy of an Anton Walter
fortepiano (Vienna, 1785) built by Monika May (Marburg, 1986) www.monika-may.de .
While there is no firm evidence as to the composition date
of the Concerto for klavier and strings
in G major, Hob.XVIII:4, a date of c. 1770 has been suggested, we do know that it was played at the
Concert spirituel in Paris by the famous blind Viennese pianist Maria Theresia
von Paradis (1759–1824) in the spring of 1784 and published shortly afterwards.
Later the same year Mozart composed his Piano Concerto in B flat major, K456,
for Paradis. There is some lovely, crisp playing from the Freiburger
Barockorchester in the opening of the Allegro.
When Andreas Staier enters he brings an equally crisp touch, extracting the
most lovely textures from his instrument. Between them soloist and orchestra bring
a very fine rhythmic bounce, a real joy. Centrally the strings find some
terrific textures with some wonderfully fluent passages from Staier. The
cadenza is wonderfully done, revealing so many textures and tones from this
instrument.
The Adagio brings
more fine textures and sonorities from the wonderful Freiburgers with Staier adding
beautiful phrasing, quite exquisitely accompanied by the strings. There is a delicate cadenza which builds to
some more incisive and florid moments.
The Finale. Rondo
Presto races forward with terrific panache, Staier again showing his
tremendous fluency, achieving a finely sprung touch from his instrument, picking
up on Haydn’s humour as he goes. As the movement progress there are some tremendous
textures for fortepiano and orchestra before the cadenza, again a light-hearted
affair, and a crisp orchestral coda.
Haydn’s Double concerto
for klavier, violin and strings in F major, Hob. XVIII:6 was advertised in
1766 in the catalogue of Breitkof but is believed to have been written much
earlier, possibly around 1756. The opening Allegro
moderato brings some finely shaped phrases from the strings of the Freiburger
Barockorchester, with some really incisive phrasing. Staier brings a lovely poise when he enters,
soon joined by the violin of Gottfried von der Goltz. They quickly engage in a
lovely dialogue with moments of almost chamber music intimacy. Between them all,
they bring some quite lovely textures with the fortepiano and violin weaving a
fine cadenza, finding the most sensitive moments, beautifully shaped.
The Largo brings
some fine sonorities as the music is drawn slowly forward in the orchestra. The
solo violin enters over beautifully poised pizzicato string phrases to which
the fortepiano adds some beautifully decorated phrases. Both soloists find some
lovely little turns of phrase, shaping the notes wonderfully with a cadenza
that brings moments of wit and good humour.
The Freiburgers bring a spirited opening to the Presto to which the fortepiano soon
joins, before fortepiano and violin weave some terrific moments, both soloists
appearing to enjoy themselves immensely. This is music that is full of life and
buoyancy as the players bring wonderfully shaped, lightly rhythmic phrases.
The beginning of the 1780’s saw Haydn writing his Concerto
for cello and orchestra in D major Hob. VIIb:2 along with his Concerto for clavier and orchestra in D
major, Hob.XVIII:11. The precise date of composition is not known but it
was published in 1784.
The Freiburger Barockorchester brings a real vibrancy to the
opening of the Vivace to which Staier
brings a crisp, finely shaped fortepiano line. There is wonderful control of
dynamics with moments of delicacy set against a strength and fluency to marvel
at. There are some particularly fine moments of orchestral precision as they
dovetail with the soloist through passages of fine textures before the cadenza
arrives in which the soloist finds some lovely phrases that reveal more aspects
of his fine instrument.
Haydn’s lovely orchestration is laid bare by the orchestra
in the Un poco adagio. When Staier enters
he delicately shapes the phrases with subtle little decorations, always finding
a way to point up phrases. There are some quite wonderfully subtle, quieter
moments for soloist and orchestra and a cadenza that soon finds a fast and
furious pace around which there are lovely quieter, slower moments.
There is a rollicking, brilliantly crisp opening to the Rondo all'Ungarese for soloist and
orchestra, Staier bringing terrific fluency, precision and sheer joy as the
music hurtles along, full of vintage Haydn. He extracts some stunning timbres
from his instrument through some terrific passages in the cadenza.
Andreas Staier, Gottfried von der Goltz and the Freiburger
Barockorchester provide absolutely terrific performances bringing a feeling of
sheer enjoyment. They receive an absolutely first rate recording, rich,
detailed and with terrific presence and there are excellent booklet notes.
Presentation is first rate with the CD and booklet presented
in a nicely illustrated box.
In short, if you didn’t get this disc first time around,
don’t delay, get it now. There is some quite wonderful Haydn here.
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