Search
Special Offers
Awards
Online Payment
Visit us
Presto News - 19th March 2012Haydn from Thomas Fey and the Heidelberger Sinfoniker |
 One series that I’ve been consistently enjoying over recent years is that of the Haydn Symphonies from the Heidelberger Sinfoniker under Thomas Fey. Founded by Fey in 1994 the Heidelberger Sinfoniker has become particularly known for its performances of the Viennese classical composers Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven and their ongoing Haydn cycle has been widely praised by critics all over the world.  Thomas Fey They’re not working through them in number order, and Volume 16 (I guess about half way through) has just been released and contains Symphonies Nos. 90 and 92 (the ‘Oxford’). Coming between the more famous Paris (82-87) and London (93-104) symphonies, these two works contain all the craft and ingenuity that characterises his mature symphonic style, and it is an absolute pleasure to hear them in performances like this. Fey claims in his booklet note that his intention with these recordings is to “dust the antiquated traditions off ‘Papa Haydn’ that the nineteenth and twentieth centuries loaded onto him”. That makes it sound a bit like an exercise, and I think does him a disservice, as it seems to me Fey is rightly more interested in recreating the spirit, drama and character that Haydn would have wanted rather than strictly the sound world. Fey studied the principles of historically authentic performance with Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and it is clear that he combines that knowledge along with his sound musical instincts in everything he does. It is also clear that the orchestra have just as much understanding of ‘authentic’ performance practice as Fey does. While the strings and woodwind are using ‘modern’ instruments, the phrasing and articulation of the wind, combined with the bowing style and lightness of touch from the strings means that they fit perfectly with the historical instruments used by the brass and timpani. The modern wind instruments have plenty of colour in their sound and frequently ornament the repeats as a singer would have done, although it is certainly not something you hear in orchestral playing very often. Short notes aren’t too short and off-beat accents are amusingly emphasised. Slow movements are tender but never sentimental, while fast movements sparkle with real excitement, (I’m convinced the players really are having fun!). The natural horns and trumpets rarely have to temper their sound like their modern equivalents would and their contributions add as much colour as they do power. Fey varies his tempos quite significantly throughout the movements but if never jars as it is always in keeping with the character of the music. This is really exciting playing – bold and daring and invariably seems to somehow feel ‘right’. This is a series well worth hearing and if you’re not familiar with any of the previous releases this is as good a place to start as anywhere. And what’s more we’re currently offering 20% off, along with everything on the record label Hänssler. Sound samples and download options are available via the links below. Enjoy!
|
Share
|
 Haydn - Complete Symphonies Volume 16Heidelberger Sinfoniker, Thomas Fey
|
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
Listen - sound samples available for this item
Download - download options available for this itemNew Releases19th March 2012 |
This is just the pick of the recent releases. The New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases. |
 Wagner: ParsifalEvgeny Nikitin, Christian Elsner, Franz-Josef Selig, Michelle de Young, Dimitry Ivaschenko, Eike Wilm Schulte, Rundfunkchor Berlin & Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester, Marek JanowskiThis is the third release of the very successful Wagner Edition. The first release, Flying Dutchman (PTC5186400) was an Editor’s Choice in the Gramophone. The second, Die Meistersinger, (PTC5186402) was the BBC Music Magazine Opera Choice of the Month in February. “It is a phenomenal achievement of Marek Janowski to have welded his immense forces into such a virtually flawless unity.”
|
 Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV1007-1012Richard Tunnicliffe (cello)Experience, virtuosity and individuality are all required when tackling J S Bach’s popular cello suites; Richard Tunnicliffe brings a lifetime of insight to his debut solo recording. |
 Purcell: Harmonia SacraRosemary Joshua (soprano), Laurence Dreyfus (viola da gamba), Elizabeth Kenny (lute) & Christophe Rousset (harpsichord, organ, direction), Les Talens LyriquesChristophe Rousset has brought together leading experts in this field (Elizabeth Kenny and Laurence Dreyfus) around Rosemary Joshua to give us a benchmark performance. This disc is a gem and a priority of the label for the semester. |
 Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D MinorRadio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Roger NorringtonNorrington has released a series of acclaimed Bruckner performances on CD. His fresh approach injects a healthy dose of ‘worldliness’ into these works. “Where Norrington is fearless is in Bruckner’s on-the-spot shifts of tempo or key.” Gramophone
|
 Frederick The Great 1712-2012Akademie für Alte Musik BerlinThe year 2012 marks the tercentenary of the birth of Frederick the Great, whose political and military glory has often relegated his musical talent to the status of a mere hobby. But Frederick II was not only the key personality of Berlin musical life for the whole of the 18th century – as is shown by the works of the composers presented on this CD, all of whom worked at his court at some point in their careers – but also an excellent flautist who left to posterity a number of fine flute sonatas from his own pen. |
 Adams: Harmonielehre & Short Ride in a Fast MachineSan Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson ThomasMichael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony release two works by John Adams: Harmonielehre which was commissioned, premiered and recorded by SFS in 1985; and Short Ride in a Fast Machine, commissioned by Tilson Thomas prior to his becoming Music Director of SFS in 1995. |
 Handel: Violin SonatasRiccardo Minasi (violin/director), Musica Antiqua RomaHandel wrote the solo sonatas of Opus 1 for the professional musicians of his London opera orchestra. They demand considerable skill and stamina both from the soloist and the continuo. Here, Riccardo Minasi, whose last recording of the Veracini sonatas achieved much success, is accompanied by the outstanding ensemble Musica Antiqua Roma. |
 Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minorPittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred HoneckThis new 2-channel hybrid SACD of the 5th Symphony is the fourth release in a cycle of recordings of Mahler’s symphonies from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and its highly regarded conductor Manfred Honeck. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 17th March 2012 |
Building a Library - Strauss, R: Ariadne auf Naxos |
 First ChoiceDeborah Voigt (Ariadne/Prima Donna), Natalie Dessay (Zerbinetta), Anne Sofie von Otter (Der Komponist), Ben Heppner (Bacchus), Stephan Genz (Harlekin), Sami Luttinen (Truffaldin), Christoph Genz (Brighella), Ian Thompson (Scaramuchio), Christiane Hossfeld (Najade), Angela Liebold (Dryade), Eva Kirchner (Echo), Romauld Pekny (Haushofmeister), Staatskapelle Dresden, Giuseppe Sinopoli |
 DVD RecommendationDeborah Voigt (Ariadne/Prima Donna), Natalie Dessay (Zerbinetta), Susanne Mentzer (The Composer), Richard Margison (Bacchus/The Tenor), Wolfgang Brendel (The Music Master), Waldemar Kmentt (The Major-Domo), James Courtney (A Lackey), Mark Schowalter (An Officer), John Fiorito (A Wigmaker), Tony Stevenson (The Dancing Master), Nathan Gunn (Harlekin), John Nuzzo (Brighella), Eric Cutler (Scaramuccio), John Del Carlo (Truffaldin), Joyce Guyer (Najade), Jossie Pérez (Dryade) & Alexandra Deshorties (Echo), The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, James Levine (conductor) & Laurie Feldman (stage director) |
Disc of the Week |
 Beethoven & Berg: Violin ConcertosIsabelle Faust (violin), Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado |
Your details will be used only in accordance with our Privacy Policy. |
Copyright © 2002-13 Presto Classical Limited, all rights reserved.