Joseph Haydn: Paris Symphonies, Nos. 85, 86, 87

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
These are excellent performances, by a period instrument orchestra considerably smaller than the one Haydn had for the original Paris performances of these symphonies. That's not a problem as long as the balances remain transparent and clear, as they are. However, Bruno Weil occasionally uses some unduly noticeable rhythmic freedom which causes momentary distractions. If you find this at all disturbing, you might prefer the similar coupling of these works by Goodman and the Hanover Band (Hyperion), the major competition for the same repertoire on period instruments. Either disc is a very satisfying way to hear some wonderful, under-exposed music. --Leslie Gerber

Amazon.com

Haydn's large-scale "Paris" Symphonies have had many fine performances on CD, both singly and in sets, including Leonard Bernstein's vigorous version for Sony. But Harnoncourt's is as good as any and better, far better, than virtually all the competition. His interpretations dance with energy and pointed rhythms, teem with details often left unheard elsewhere, and display tempos that always seem inevitable and right. He exploits Haydn's humor to great effect in the finale of the "Poule" Symphony (No. 83) and brings out the ingenuity and variety of Haydn's fertile imagination. Harnoncourt also observes all repeats, which add to the stature of the works by expanding their size, scope, and grandeur. Not least among the set's many attractions is the playing of the Concentus Musicus Wien, worlds away from their raw-sounding early explorations of the Baroque. Here, their polished playing is full of marvelous wind solos, brilliant brass, and cutting horns to go with the fine strings. Haydn would have loved this set! --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Brash and Loud.......2005-10-31

This set has received many glowing reviews. Here is the other side, from someone who likes many, but not nearly all, HIP (historically informed performance) approaches to music. I found this set too loud, too brash, and utterly lacking in charm, grace, subtlety, and beauty of tone. Yes, Haydn has often been over-refined in other performances, robbing the music of Haydn's joyous wit and interesting textures. However, to my ears, this set goes way overboard in the other direction. I could recommend this only to those who are firmly in the HIP camp and who value excitement and verve above all else and who therefore don't think Haydn should be at all subtle, dry, or easy on the ears.

Move Over, Lenny!.......2005-07-28

This is an extraordinary set of "Paris" symphonies by Haydn performed by Nick Harnoncourt and his Concentus Musicus Wein. The only recordng in my collection up until this point was the old NYPO with Lenny. It is comprised of three CDs with two symphonies on each. Why? Nick honors ALL the repeats. The result is more than three hours of music. But Nick manages to make it interesting. None of the performances feel long-drawn-out. And I heard things I never heard before, so for me there was a new sense of discovery. I took a gamble in getting this set because Nick can be an erratic interpreter when it comes to Haydn or Mozart. But this set is a homerun. Concentus Musicus Wein plays with polish, clarity and precision. The woodwinds are especially luscious.

Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 82-87, the Paris Symphonies

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Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 82-87, the Paris Symphonies

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000037FO
Release Date: 1994-12-06

Tracks:

Sym No.82 in C, The Bear: I. Vivace Assai
Sym No.82 in C, The Bear: II. Allegretto
Sym No.82 in C, The Bear: III. Menuet & Trio
Sym No.82 in C, The Bear: IV. Finale, Vivace
Sym No.83 in g, The Hen: I. Allegro Spiritoso
Sym No.83 in g, The Hen: II. Andante
Sym No.83 in g, The Hen: III. Menuet & Trio: Allegretto
Sym No.83 in g, The Hen: IV. Finale: Vivace
Sym No.84 in E flat: I. Largo-Allegro
Sym No.84 in E flat: Andante
Sym No.84 in E flat: Menuet & Trio: Allegretto
Sym No.84 in E flat: Finale: Vivace

Tracks:

Sym No.85 in B flat, The Queen Of France: I. Adagio-Vivace
Sym No.85 in B flat, The Queen Of France: II. Romance: Allegretto.
Sym No.85 in B flat, The Queen Of France: III. Menuetto & Trio: Allegretto
Sym No.85 in B flat, The Queen Of France: IV. Finale: Presto
Sym No.86 in D: I. Adgaio-Allegro Spiritoso
Sym No.86 in D: II. Capriccio: Largo
Sym No.86 in D: III. Menuet & Trio: Allegretto
Sym No.86 in D: IV. Finale: Allegro Con Spirito
Sym No.87 in A: I. Vivace
Sym No.87 in A: II. Adagio
Sym No.87 in A: III. Menuet & Trio
Sym No.87 in A: Finale: Vivace

Average customer rating:

Lively, Fresh Performances of these Great Haydn Symphonies
Exploring the Haydn Symphonies -- the Paris Symphonies
An absolute must-have.
Haydn at his very best
Lovely music, but that's not all you hear . . .

Haydn: The Paris Symphonies Nos. 82-87

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000417K
Release Date: 1994-01-18

Tracks:

Symphony No. 82 In C (The Bear): 1. Vivace assi - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 82 In C (The Bear): 2. Allegretto - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 82 In C (The Bear): 3. Menuet - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 82 In C (The Bear): 4. Finale (Vivace) - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 83 In G Minor (The Hen): 1. Allegro spirtoso - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 83 In G Minor (The Hen): 2. Andante - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 83 In G Minor (The Hen): 3. Menuet (Allegretto) - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 83 In G Minor (The Hen): 4. Finale (Vivace) - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 84 In E Flat: 1. Largo - Allegro - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 84 In E Flat: 2. Andante - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 84 In E Flat: 3. Menuet (Allegro) - J. Haydn
Symphony No. 84 In E Flat: 4. Finale (vivace) - J. Haydn

Tracks:

Symphony No. 85 In B Flat (The Queen): 1. Adagio vivace - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 85 In B Flat (The Queen): 2. Romance (allegretto) - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 85 In B Flat (The Queen): 3. Menuet (allegretto) - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 85 In B Flat (The Queen): 4. Finale (presto) - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 86 In D: 1. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 86 In D: 2. Capriccio (largo) - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 86 In D: 3. Menuet (allegretto) - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 86 In D: 4. Finale (allegro con spirito) - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 87 In A: 1. Vivace - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 87 In A: 2. Adagio - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 87 In A: 3. Menuet - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 87 In A: 4. Finale (vivace) - Joseph Haydn

Customer Reviews:

Lively, Fresh Performances of these Great Haydn Symphonies.......2006-09-12

I am quickly coming to the realization that Haydn is one of the most overlooked composers in the history of Western music. His music is complex, lively, nuanced, always imaginative, and very humane. These performances of his "Paris" symphonies are wonderful; they are lively, fresh, warm and animated. They were recorded well and the Academy of St. Martins in the Fields does an excellent job of capturing the dynamic beauty of these symphonies. The orchestra sounds rich and deep, but not with a heavy and overbearing feel. The loud parts are not "harsh," and the quiet parts are not too quite so that you have to turn up the volume to hear it. I listen to these CD's frequently and I highly recommend them.

Exploring the Haydn Symphonies -- the Paris Symphonies.......2005-03-11

Haydn's set of six "Paris" Symphonies, no. 82 --87, composed in 1785 -- 1786 represent a turning point in his career. Up to that time, Haydn had composed for the Esterhazy family. He was employed in the magnificent Esterhazy palace as the court composer. But his works had been circulated widely throughout Europe, and he enjoyed a great reputation as a composer. Thus, in 1784 the board of directors of the Concerts de la Loge Olympique, Paris, asked Haydn for six symphonies. This set is the result.

The Paris symphonies are larger more complex works than Haydn's earlier symphonies for the Esterhazy court. They use a variety of forms, explore many moods, make extensive use of winds and brass, and display a self-confidence and self-mastery that remain a revelation to hear. Yet, Haydn developed slowly and carefully as a composer. It is inspiring to remember how these symphonies were the outgrowth of Haydn's long years of development of the symphonic form.

I have been listening to many of Haydn's earlier symphonies on Naxos, but turned to this set on Phillips by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner for the Paris symphonies. This is an outstanding compiliation, radiant, lively, and full of attention to detail. There are competitors to this CD, including low-priced disks, but you will not go wrong with this set.

Of the six Paris symphonies, three have nicknames, for better or for worse: the "Bear" no. 82, the "Hen" no. 83, and the "Queen" no. 85. The symphony no. 82 is a festive, joyful work with a great deal of brass, flute, bassoon and tympani enlivening the opening movement. The second movement is a set of variations, while the third movement is a stately minuet with a whimsical trio. The dancing "bear" appears in the finale in a drone in the lower strings.

The g-minor symphony, no.83, the only one of the set in a minor key, opens in a severe, serious manner its nickname of "hen" notwithstanding. The nickname derives from a theme in the oboe in the first movement. The slow movement is mostly serene and peaceful but takes a dramatic turn in the middle while the minuet is flowing and graceful. The finale is in the major key, and is lively and humorous in the style of a round.

The symphony no. 85, "La Reine" in B-flat major probably remains my favorite of this set. It opens with a slow introduction followed by a lively, graceful theme. Note how Haydn uses a rising scale figure both in the introduction and in the body of the movement. The second theme of the opening movement is based on the first movement of Haydn's earlier "Farewell" symphony. The second movement of "La Reine" is a theme and variations on a French folk song, while the third is a minuet, both graceful and regal. The finale, is a rapid triumphant vivace.

The symphony no 84 in E-flat also has a solemn slow introduction, featuring the horn followed by a quick light opening movement. The slow movement is based on simple variations of a sinuous theme stated in the lower strings. The third movement is a stately minuet which flows seamlessly into the trio, while the finale, vivace, brings the work to a galant close.

The symphony no. 86 in D is, together with "La Reine" the masterwork of the set. Haydn's sketches of this work survive and show the effort he put into the seemingly smooth surface of this symphony. The work begins with a lengthy slow introduction followed by a brisk allegro and a lyrical second theme. Haydn makes extensive use of winds in the symphony. The second movement bears the unusual marking "cappricio." It is in free-form and is serious in character. The minuet is rather uptempo with a trio that features a solo for the bassoon and is like a little dance. The Haydn scholar Karl Geringer has described the finale of this work as an "Italian opera buffa". "A musical comedy" he writes "with its flirtatous girl, its miserly old bachelor, and hilarious disguises seems to come to life in this amusing piece." (Geringer, "Haydn" at 300)

The final work of the set is the symphony no. 87 in A. The opening movement is in a galant, busy style. The lovely second movement features solo passages for flute, bassoon, and oboe. The stately minuet again features the use of winds in the trio while the finale begins quietly and works up to a big close.

These symphonies are great works of music and exemplify Haydn's hard-won maturity and success as a composer. Both the listener new to classical music and the lifelong music lover will treasure these performances.

An absolute must-have........2002-03-04

These six symphonies, collectively called "Paris", are actually the first six which Haydn wrote to be played at the d'Olympique, with 88 - 92 following. (No. 92, "Oxford", is stylistically more often associated with the first "London" set, but was actually written for Paris.) I've owned this recording for about three years and it is one to which I often turn. The sound quality is remarkable for an analog recording, the tempi feel "just right", and the playing is superb. The Symphony no. 85 is particularly good here, with its powerful introduction and first movement, recalling the French Overture style, but with a difference (isn't that always the case with Haydn?): Here, Haydn injects the theme from his "Farewell" Symphony as a lead-in to his second subject set and to great effect! (Ironically, this was the favorite symphony of Marie Antoinette, someone to whom history would soon be bidding farewell...did Haydn know something?) Marriner makes the most of this and many other delicious moments in all these works. The wind playing is subtle, yet beautiful during solo sections and there is plenty of sound coming from the cello/bass/bassoon sections (which is often overlooked and underplayed in recordings of music prior to Beethoven). Overall, I prefer the sound and interpretation of this recording (and other Marriner/St. Martin recordings) to many of the heavy, ponderous recordings by modern symphony orchestras and to all of the shrill, glassy, deliberately thin-sounding recordings with "unmusical-because-we-know-better" interpretations made by period instrument groups.
I highly recommend this recording to anyone who enjoys music of this period and especially to those who love the beautiful, witty, and soulful Franz Joseph Haydn.

Haydn at his very best.......2001-12-14

I have been a big Haydn "fan" for many years. Calling the music "beautiful" would be a gross understatement. I was particularly impresed by the less famous symphonies 84,86 and 87. When you write 104 symphonies, some might think the individual value of one symphony tends to decrease and some repetitions might occur. This is not the case with Haydn. Each piece has its own distinctive uniqueness. Every single piece on this CD (and by Haydn in general) is a masterpiece.
These 2 CDs are possibly some of the best Haydn recordings ever made. Sir Neville Mariner is doing a fabulous job and the orchestra is respnding superbly.
Technically - although the original recording is analog (and yes, there is some audible noise from the analog tape), the studio guys managed to keep the noise at an acceptable low level without inducing that boombox-like sound of over-processed tracks.
Overall, a must have for Haydn fans. Definitely 5 stars.

Lovely music, but that's not all you hear . . ........2000-11-02

These are beautiful and uplifting pieces. The sound is wonderful, but on the third track of the first CD (Symphony 82, Menuet), one can hear someone audibly keeping time ("and five" or something like that). Aside from this, a good buy.

Average customer rating:

Haydn:The Paris Symphonies, Nos. 82 - 87
Franz Joseph Haydn , Frans Brueggen , Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century , and Frans Bruggen
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000026CEL
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Tracks:

Symphony In C, Hob. I:82 'The Bear': 1. Vivace assai
Symphony In C, Hob. I:82 'The Bear': 2. Allegretto
Symphony In C, Hob. I:82 'The Bear': 3. Menuet
Symphony In C, Hob. I:82 'The Bear': 4. Finale, Vivace
Symphony In G minor, Hob. I:83 'The Hen': 1. Allegro spiritoso
Symphony In G minor, Hob. I:83 'The Hen': 2. Andante
Symphony In G minor, Hob. I:83 'The Hen': 3. Menuet. Allegretto
Symphony In G minor, Hob. I:83 'The Hen': 4. Finale. Vivace
Symphony In E flat, Hob. I:84: 1. Largo - Allegro
Symphony In E flat, Hob. I:84: 2. Andante
Symphony In E flat, Hob. I:84: 3. Menuet. Allegro
Symphony In E flat, Hob. I:84: 4. Finale. Vivace

Tracks:

Symphony in B flat, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': 1. Adagio - Vivace
Symphony in B flat, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': 2. Romance. Allegretto
Symphony in B flat, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': 3. Menuetto. Allegretto
Symphony in B flat, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': 4. Finale. Presto
Symphony in D, Hob. I:86: 1. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso
Symphony in D, Hob. I:86: 2. Capriccio. Largo
Symphony in D, Hob. I:86: 3. Menuet. Allegetto
Symphony in D, Hob. I:86: 4. Finale. Allegro con spirito
Symphony in A, Hob. I:87: 1. Vivace
Symphony in A, Hob. I:87: 2. Adagio
Symphony in A, Hob. I:87: 3. Menuet
Symphony in A, Hob. I:87: 4. Finale. Vivace

Amazon.com

Spending nearly two and a half hours in Haydn's company, as this set permits, is a great pleasure. And these symphonies offer the unbeatable combination of first-rate Haydn that isn't overfamiliar, as these Paris Symphonies aren't played as often as the later ones. Brüggen's conceptions of the music are light and lively, and the orchestra plays with great transparency, precision, and springy rhythms. Remembering that Haydn delighted in the size of the orchestra he had in Paris, we may find these performances a bit too light. The similar Goodman-Hanover Band recordings on Hyperion, which cost more, have more weight and equally fine musicianship. And don't ever forget Leonard Bernstein's magnificent performances of these or any Haydn Symphonies; he was at his considerable best in this music. Still, even if it doesn't dominate the field, Brüggen's set is highly entertaining. --Leslie Gerber

Joseph Haydn: Paris Symphonies, Nos. 85, 86, 87

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Joseph Haydn: Paris Symphonies, Nos. 85, 86, 87

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Joseph Haydn: The Creation

ASIN: B000002AQ9
Release Date: 1995-06-27

Tracks:

Symphony In B-Flat Major, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': I. Adagio - Vivace
Symphony In B-Flat Major, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': II. Romance. Allegretto
Symphony In B-Flat Major, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': III. Menuet. Allegretto - Trio
Symphony In B-Flat Major, Hob. I:85 'The Queen': IV. Finale. Presto
Symphony In D Major, Hob. I:86: I. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso
Symphony In D Major, Hob. I:86: II. Capriccio. Largo
Symphony In D Major, Hob. I:86: III. Menuet. Allegretto - Trio
Symphony In D Major, Hob. I:86: IV. Finale. Allegro con spiritoso
Symphony In A Major, Hob. I:87: I. Vivace
Symphony In A Major, Hob. I:87: II. Adagio
Symphony In A Major, Hob. I:87: III. Menuet - Trio
Symphony In A Major, Hob. I:87: IV. Finale. Vivace

Amazon.com

These are excellent performances, by a period instrument orchestra considerably smaller than the one Haydn had for the original Paris performances of these symphonies. That's not a problem as long as the balances remain transparent and clear, as they are. However, Bruno Weil occasionally uses some unduly noticeable rhythmic freedom which causes momentary distractions. If you find this at all disturbing, you might prefer the similar coupling of these works by Goodman and the Hanover Band (Hyperion), the major competition for the same repertoire on period instruments. Either disc is a very satisfying way to hear some wonderful, under-exposed music. --Leslie Gerber

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