Haydn The Complete Symphonies on 8 CDs

The Esterhazy Recordings (Nimbus MP3 edition)

Complete Symphonies, Violin Concertos in C & G, Overtures La Vera Costanza, La Fedelta Premiata, March for the Royal Society.

Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra / Ádám Fischer

Texts: Essays by Adam Fischer in insert booklet explaining his use of modern instruments; essays on The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn & The Story of the Nimbus Haydn Cycle on a .pdf file, which can be viewed at any desired size.

Nimbus NI 5847 [TT: 37 hours; 8 disc MP3 Box Set - £25.00]

Twenty years on, these "modern-historic" recordings of some twenty years ago have been re-released by Nimbus in a new packaging which suits them perfectly for convenience and price. This is an innovative approach, by way of something of an experiment prompted by the anniversary year, one which Nimbus is not aware of its having been done before, certainly not so in the classical world, says project director Adrian Farmer.

For MP3 CDs they chose a high bite-rate compression that produces the highest quality allowed within the MP3 rules. To most ears (including mine) it is indistinguishable from a normal CD.

I found that they played easily on DVD players; with our portable Sony, which has excellent sound, all you have to do is pop the disc in the slot and wait for the magic to happen. We sampled the project by listening to Symphonies 17 & 18 (neither of which I knew, I must confess) - delightful !

On my iMac you do the same, then click on the CD icon which appears on the desktop and select the clearly labelled track you want to listen to. I expect a lot of us will also listen to them on our iPods... The discs don't play on standard CD players, but that shouldn't prove a problem.

I am enjoying one of the London Symphonies whilst completing this report. To put this very desirable re-issue into perspective, it is good to re-read Edward Greenfield in Gramophone:

It has taken a surprisingly long time for the first complete set of the 12 ''London'' Symphonies to appear on CD. This one, recorded in the Haydnsaal of the Esterhazy Palace in Hungary, where so many of Haydn's symphonies were first heard - - brings warm and stylish readings, in ripely reverberant Nimbus sound. Neatly packaged on five discs—with the first two containing three symphonies apiece, two each on the rest—the set can be firmly recommended to anyone not wedded to period performance.

With Professor H. C. Robbins Landon giving weight to the project—he writes a characteristically lively ''historical perspective'' for the booklet—and with such concern for the venue one might have expected a recording on period instruments, but not so. Ádám Fischer and his choice band of players, the aptly if clumsily named Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, do not really represent the half-way stage I expected between period performance and modern 'symphonic' treatment. Not only are modern instruments used, Fischer as a Haydn interpreter prefers a more legato style and speeds generally less brisk than are favoured even by those merely influenced by the authenticists - - Whatever details may be controversial in all these readings, what will matter to most Haydn lovers is the point and stylishness, the sweetly atmospheric sound and, above all, the sense of joy.'
Edward Greenfield [Gramophone 12/1989]

I had enjoyed some of these recordings in their earliest days, and reviewed them in long-defunct paper publications (probably Music and Musicians)...

For 2009's purchasers in this fraught, financially stretched Haydn tricentenary year, this is an unmissable bargain which deserves every success in assisting the fortunes of Nimbus/Wyastone, to whom record collectors are also indebted for their rescue of the Lyrita catalogue.

Few readers will be able to put hand on heart and claim to really know all the symphonies and his violin concertos. What better way to join the Haydn celebrations at home, and for the price of a concert ticket?

Two small comments pending reprinting - if this has the success it deserves;
1) the two boxes look identical - they could usefully be marked Vols 1 & 2, unless the whole 8 discs are put in one case with the discs themselves in slip-cases, which might be more appropriate.
2) it would help in the booklet to have track numbers at the beginning of each symphony*; I have had to guess (not easy, with some having three movements, others the more usual four) and then adjust to the intended one.**

Peter Grahame Woolf

** at Musical Pointers' suggestion, Nimbus has swiftly rectified this omission:
Thank you for pointing out a rather obvious weakness in the track layout. - - Sometimes one misses the simplest things! The booklets have now been reworked and track indicators added to each symphony. The great beauty of keeping no stock is that this kind or correction is easy and effectively free.

Only one minor quibble remains; the eight CDs are housed in two identical boxes containing, respectively, Symphonies 1 - 64 and 64 - 104 + extras. Only by looking inside at the discs themselves can you tell which is which. I hope that the revised booklet will be included with each of them.

See a thorough evaluation of this mp3 version and its technicalities by Dominy Clements in Music Web

* Track Numbers for the beginning of each symphony have been added below [Editor]

CD1
1 Symphony No. 1 in D major, Hob.I:1 (1759) [13:19]
4 Symphony No. 2 in C major, Hob.I:2 (1764) [9:27]
7 Symphony No. 3 in G major, Hob.I:3 (1762) [17:32]
11 Symphony No. 4 in D major, Hob.I:4 (1762) [17:29]
14 Symphony No. 5 in A major, Hob.I:5 (1762) [18:29]
18 Symphony No. 6 in D major ‘Le Matin’, Hob.I:6 (1761) [22:36]
22 Symphony No. 7 in D major ‘Le Midi’, Hob.I:7 (1761) [25:19]
26 Symphony No. 8 in G major ‘Le Soir’, Hob.I:8 (1761) [21:48]
30 Symphony No. 9 in C major, Hob.I:9 (1762) [12:12]
33 Symphony No. 10 in D major, Hob.I:10 (1766) [16:23]
36 Symphony No. 11 in E flat major, Hob.I:11 (1769) [22:34]
40 Symphony No. 12 in E major, Hob.I:12 (1763) [18:38]
43 Symphony No. 13 in D major, Hob.I:13 (1763) [18:06]
47 Symphony No. 14 in A major, Hob.I:14 (1764) [14:53]
51 Symphony No. 15 in A major, Hob.I:15 (1764) [19:43]
55 Symphony No. 16 in B flat major, Hob.I:16 (1766) [12:10]

CD2
1 Symphony No. 17 in D major, Hob.I:17 (1765) [14:44]
4 Symphony No. 18 in G major, Hob.I:18 (1766) [13:47]
7 Symphony No. 19 in D major, Hob.I:19 (1766) [10:38]
10 Symphony No. 20 in C major, Hob.I:20 (1766) [14:27]
14 Symphony No. 21 in A major, Hob.I:21 (1764) [15:53]
18 Symphony No. 22 in E flat major ‘The Philosopher’, Hob.I:22 (1764) [16:50]
22 Symphony No. 23 in G major, Hob.I:23 (1764) [16:34]
26 Symphony No. 24 in D major, Hob.I:24 (1764) [19:03]
30 Symphony No. 25 in C major, Hob.I:25 (1766) [13:34]
33 Symphony No. 26 in D minor ‘Lamentatione’, Hob.I:26 (1770) [13:06]
36 Symphony No. 27 in G major, Hob.I:27 (1766) [13:40]
39 Symphony No. 28 in A major, Hob.I:28 (1765) [17:45]
43 Symphony No. 29 in E major, Hob.I:29 (1765) [17:30]
47 Symphony No. 30 in C major ‘Alleluja’, Hob.I:30 (1765) [13:21]
50 Symphony No. 31 in D major ‘Hornsignal’, Hob.I:31 (1765) [25:08]
54 Symphony No. 32 in C major, Hob.I:32 (1766) [15:05]
58 Symphony No. 33 in C major, Hob.I:33 (1767) [15:35]
62 Symphony No. 34 in D major, Hob.I:34 (1767) [17:00]
66 Symphony No. 35 in B flat major, Hob.I:35 (1767) [15:26]

CD 3
1 Symphony No. 36 in E flat major, Hob.I:36 (1769) [16:14]
5 Symphony No. 37 in C major, Hob.I:37 (1758) [13:07]
9 Symphony No. 38 in C major, Hob.I:38 (1769) [15:55]
13 Symphony No. 39 in G minor, Hob.I:39 (1770) [16:45]
17 Symphony No. 40 in F major, Hob.I:40 (1763) [17:17]
21 Symphony No. 41 in C major, Hob.I:41 (1770) [18:35]
25 Symphony No. 42 in D major, Hob.I:42 (1771) [26:04]
29 Symphony No. 43 in E flat major ‘Mercury’, Hob.I:43 (1772) [23:37]
33 Symphony No. 44 in E minor ‘Trauersymphonie’, Hob.I:44 (1772) [22:56]
37 Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor ‘Farewell’, Hob.I:45 (1772) [26:18]
41 Symphony No. 46 in B major, Hob.I:46 (1772) [16:56]
45 Symphony No. 47 in G major, Hob.I:47 (1772) [20:17]
49 Symphony No. 48 in C major ‘Maria Theresia’, Hob.I:48 (1769) [26:43]
53 Symphony No. 49 in F minor ‘La Passione’, Hob.I:49 (1768) [21:56]
57 Symphony No. 50 in C major, Hob.I:50 (1773) [17:45]

CD 4
1 Symphony No. 51 in B flat major (1774) [19:20]
5 Symphony No. 52 in C minor(1774) [20:51]
9 Symphony No. 53 in D major ‘L’Impériale’ (1778/9)[22:23]
13 Symphony No. 54 in G major (1774) [24:38]
17 Symphony No. 55 in E flat major ‘The Schoolmaster (1774) [20:30]
21 Symphony No. 56 in C major (1774) [24:37]
25 Symphony No. 57 in D major (1774) [22:55]
29 Symphony No. 58 in F major (1775) [16:40]
33 Symphony No. 59 in A major ‘Fire’ (1769) [17:22]
37 Symphony No. 60 in C major ‘Il distratto’ (1774) [24:43]
43 Symphony No. 61 in D major (1776) [20:33]

47 Symphony No. 62 in D major (1781) [20:10]

51 Symphony No. 63 in C major ‘La Roxelane’ (1781) [19:42] 

55 Symphony No. 64 in A major ‘Tempora Mutantur’ (1778) [18:22]

CD 5
1 Symphony No. 65 in C major, Hob.I:65 (1778) [17:02]
5 Symphony No. 66 in B flat major, Hob.I:66 (1779) [21:58]
9 Symphony No. 67 in F major, Hob.I:67 (1779) [28:06]
13 Symphony No. 68 in B flat major, Hob.I:68 (1779) [22:46]
17 Symphony No. 69 in C major ‘Laudon’, Hob.I:69 (1779) [20:23]
21 Symphony No. 70 in D major, Hob.I:70 (1779) [17:10]
25 Symphony No. 71 in B flat major, Hob.I:71 (1780) [22:30]
29 Symphony No. 72 in D major, Hob.I:72 (1781) [18:45]
33 Symphony No. 73 in D major ‘La Chasse’, Hob.I:73 (1782) [19:31]
37 Symphony No. 74 in E flat major, Hob.I:74 (1781) [19:14]
41 Symphony No. 75 in B flat major, Hob.I:75 (1781) [19:32]
45 Symphony No. 76 in E flat major, Hob.I:76 (1782) [20:42]
49 Symphony No. 77 in B flat major, Hob.I:77 (1782) [17:58]
53 Symphony No. 78 in C minor, Hob.I:78 (1782) [19:35]

CD 6
1 Symphony No. 79 in F major, Hob.I:79 (1784) [20:45]
5 Symphony No. 80 in D minor, Hob.I:80 (1784) [22:32]
9 Symphony No. 81 in G major, Hob.I:81 (1784) [22:08]
13 Symphony No. 82 in C major ‘L'Ours’, Hob.I:82 (1786) [25:23]
17 Symphony No. 83 in G minor ‘La Poule’, Hob.I:83 (1785) [25:21]
21 Symphony No. 84 in E flat major, Hob.I:84 (1786) [23:02]
25 Symphony No. 85 in B flat major ‘La Reine’, Hob.I:85 (1785) [23:52]
29 Symphony No. 86 in D major, Hob.I:86 (1786) [26:45]
33 Symphony No. 87 in A major, Hob.I:87 (1785) [22:35]
37 Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob.I:88 (1787) [21:45]
41 Symphony No. 89 in F major, Hob.I:89 (1787) [21:23]
45 Symphony No. 90 in C major, Hob.I:90 (1788) [26:23]


CD 7
1 Symphony No. 91 in E flat major, Hob.I:91 (1788) [25:52]
5 Symphony No. 92 in G major ‘Oxford’, Hob.I:92 (1789) [27:11]
9 Symphony No. 93 in D major, Hob.I:93 (1791) [24:12]
13 Symphony No. 94 in G major ‘Surprise’, Hob.I.94 (1791) [23:43]
17 Symphony No. 95 in C minor, Hob.I:95 (1791) [21:16]
21 Symphony No. 96 in D major, Hob.I:96 (1791) [23:32]
25 Symphony No. 97 in C major, Hob.I:97 (1792) [25:57]
29 Symphony No. 98 in B flat major, Hob.I:98 (1792) [29:40]
33 Symphony No. 99 in E flat major, Hob.I:99 (1793) [27:32]
37 Symphony No. 100 in D major ‘Military’, Hob.I:100 (1793/4) [24:19]

CD 8
1 Symphony No. 101 in D major ‘Clock’, Hob.I:101 (1793/4) [29:34]
4 Symphony No. 102 in B flat major ‘Miracle’, Hob.I:102 (1794) [26:14]
9 Symphony No. 103 in E flat major ‘Drumroll’, Hob.I:103 (1795) [30:17]
13 Symphony No. 104 in D major ‘London’, Hob.I:104 (1795) [29:12]
17 Symphony 'A' in B flat major, Hob.I:107 (1762) [12:58]
20 Symphony 'B' in B flat major, Hob.I:108 (1765) [11:37]
24 Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat major, Hob.I:105 (1792) [21:38]
27 Violin Concerto in C major, Hob.VIIa:1 (1769)*[20:37]
30 Violin Concerto in G major, Hob.VIIa:4 (c.1774)*[18:41]
33 Overture: La Vera Costanza Hob.1a:15 [5:46]
34 Overture: La fideltà premiata [3:55]
35 March for the Royal Society of Musicians [4:08]
Essay 1 pdf
Essay 2 pdf

Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra/Adam Fischer
Rainer Küchl (violin), Wolfgang Herzer (cello), Gerhard Turetschek (oboe) and Michael Werba (bassoon)
rec.1989-2001 (Symphonies), Haydnsaal, Esterházy Palace, Eisenstadt, Austria
NIMBUS NI 1722 (8 discs – approx.37 hours playing time)