Haydn: Symphony No. 59 in A major 'Fire' (Feuer)

“Raucously braying horns, vibrant wind and fluent strings make this 994 recording of three of Haydn's most characterful and witty symphonies hard to beat.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2009 *****

“…colour, inventiveness and crackling, abrasive energy abound…” Gramophone Magazine, December 2008

“This orchestra plays on modern instruments but observes historical performance practice. Its sparkling performances, under Helmut Muller-Bruhl…can be highly recommended.” The Sunday Telegraph

“All three performances here are quite splendid, with outstandingly brilliant musicmaking that makes an unanswerable case for playing Haydn on period instruments. The recording is first class” Penguin Guide

“Fischer's body of strings is appreciably smaller [than Dorati's], and his violin and cello soloists sweeter toned, surer in their intonation and more imaginative in their phrasing. In the slow movements the greater refinement of Fischer's soloists and his rather lighter touch are invariably more persuasive” Gramophone Magazine

“The sound is at once warmly atmospheric and intimate, with high contrasts of dynamic and texture. Continuing to use modern, not period instruments, but with limited string vibrato and Viennese oboes and horns standing out distinctively, these are recordings to challenge the long-time supremacy of Dorati's pioneering Decca set.” Penguin Guide

“Dorati's famous integral recording of all 104 of the published Symphonies now returns in a Decca bargain box containing 33 CDs. It still holds its place in the catalogue as the only complete set to contain everything Haydn wrote in this medium, including the Symphonies 'A' and 'B', omitted from the original numbering scheme because at one time they were not thought to be symphonies at all. The survey also encompasses additional alternative movements for certain works (notably Nos 53 and 103) and alternative complete versions of the Philosopher Symphony and No 63, which are fascinating.
The remastering confirms the excellence of the vintage Decca sound. No more needs to be said, except that the one minus point in these very convincing modern-instrument performances is Dorati's insistence on measured, often rustic tempos for the minuets. For those who can run to the complete series this is self-recommending – a source of inexhaustible pleasure.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Dorati was ahead of his time as a Haydn interpreter when, in the early 1970s, he made this pioneering integral recording of the symphonies. Superbly transferred to CD in full, bright, immediate sound, the performances are a consistent delight.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition