Haydn: The Mermaid's Song, Hob. XXVIa:25

In September 1790, following the death of his princely employer, court composer Haydn and his entire orchestra were sacked. As he was considering this change in circumstances, Haydn received an unexpected visit from Johann Peter Salomon, a German impresario based in London, who made him a tempting offer: an opera, six symphonies and twenty other pieces to be written for the city, and a guaranteed income from a new concert series. So it was that, on 2 January 1791, Haydn arrived in England for the first of two visits that would leave an indelible mark both on the musical life of his host country and on the composer himself. This program was innovatively devised by one of the leading Haydn interpreters of our time, Christopher Hogwood, who also directs the performances and plays the fortepiano parts. It explores the more intimate side of Haydn, and the extensive notes by Hogwood himself give us a glimpse of the more intimate world of Haydn's relationship with the patrons and the many real friends he met while he was this side of the Channel. It intersperses songs with chamber music, includes a late but rarely-performed String Quartet (Op. 71 No. 3) and concludes with a delectable arrangement of the ‘Surprise’ Symphony for piano, string quartet and flute. Hogwood is, of course, well known for his Haydn interpretations and while his Haydn symphony cycle for L’Oiseau-Lyre will go down in recording history as one of the Great Incomplete Projects, this 2-LP set, originally recorded in 1978 for L’Oiseau-Lyre, now appears complete on CD for the first time.

Executive producer: Ian Atkins

Recording producer: Adam Skeaping

Assistant producer: Fanny Warnock

Balance engineer: Adam Skeaping

Recording location: Rosslyn Hill Chapel, London, UK, September 1978

It is well known that Haydn was a favoured visitor to London towards the end of his life and spent much time in the English capital. In addition to the famous ‘London’ symphonies he wrote a considerable amount of other music whilst he was here, including chamber works and, particularly, songs, many of them to English words by his friend Anne Hunter. All of the famous ones are here, along with other, German, settings and the extended scena ‘Arianna a Naxos’, to an anonymous Italian text.

Haydn’s songs are relatively subordinate in his oeuvre and were composed to be performed by amateurs. Nonetheless, they are carefully structured and served to help establish him in the open market. His English Canzonettas show a great variety of moods ranging from lively sea pieces to pastoral. Anne Cambrier has an extensive repertoire and regularly gives recitals with Jan Vermeulen.

Respected and in demand soprano Ruth Ziesak gives an outstanding performance. This new CD includes all Haydn’s songs with lyrics in English.

In celebration of the Haydn year, MSM brings together two rising stars of the classical music world. The album combines selections from Haydn’s English and German love songs.

In the ‘Haydn Year’ PentaTone is pleased to release the complete Haydn songs first released on a Philips three LP set and now available on 2 CD’s at a special price.

Haydn’s lieder is sadly often relegated to the opening ‘warm-up’ sections of recitals, or, even worse, totally neglected. This is a pity, for as collectors of Brilliant Classics cycle of all his Scottish Songs will know, there is much wit, warm humour and not a little drama to found in these gems. The songs on this CD span 1781 –95, and the first two sets were written for the Viennese socialite Franz Sales von Greiner, who regularly advised Haydn on the choice of texts.

The third set is probably the best known works in this programme. The ‘English Canzonettas’ were written for Haydn’s friend Lady Anne Hunter, the widow of eminent surgeon Sir John Hunter. Anne provided the texts for the first group, and one for the second. Haydn turned to Metastasio for the remainder.

The ‘Pastoral Song’ became a firm favourite with the Victorians, and was a parlour song ‘hit’.

These Philips recording have long been unavailable: here they make a welcome return to the catalogue

‘Those who love them [Haydn’s songs], and love Elly Ameling, will not be disappointed in this generous recital…Ameling’s skill lies in her precise judgement of their scale…Jorg Demus’s accompanying is half the fun: he makes the keys speak as clearly and sweetly as any fortepiano…’ Gramophone

Full sung texts and booklet notes

A must for lovers of this popular and much-loved singer