Joseph HAYDN (1732 - 1809)
Symphony no. 6 in G major, Le Matin (?1761) [23:20]
Symphony no. 7 in C major, Le Midi (1761) [24:52]
Symphony no. 8 in G major, Le Soir (?1761) [23:38]
La Petite Bande/Sigiswald Kuijken (violin)
rec. Galaxy Studios, Mol, January 2012. DDD
ACCENT ACC 24272 [71:57]
Joseph HAYDN (1732 - 1809)
Symphony no. 6 in G major, Le Matin (?1761) [22:26]
Symphony no. 7 in C major, Le Midi (1761) [24:35]
Symphony no. 8 in G major, Le Soir (?1761) [23:24]
NFM Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra/Jaroslaw Thiel (cello)
rec. Jan Kaczmarek Concert Hall of Radio Wroclaw, 23-25 September 2010. DDD
CD ACCORD ACD 167-2 [70:47]
Die Tageszeiten as the Accent CD titles them, The Day Trilogy,
are the most attractive and often performed of Haydn’s earliest symphonies.
Having the titles Morning, Noon and Evening helps but it’s
difficult to find a specific programme for these works other than the depiction
of daybreak at the opening of Symphony 6 and the storm in the finale of Symphony
8. What makes them popular is their vivacity, their sheer variety and wealth
of engaging instrumental solos. However, recordings on period instruments
aren’t that common so it’s good that here are two more.
Symphony 6 is Haydn’s Pastoral Symphony. Not only are cheerful
feelings awakened here but the world wakes succinctly in the introduction
(tr. 1) as dawn breaks and a crescendo fills out the environment. Then
comes an Allegro of total vivacity as the strings scurry around. Jerky
rhythms seem to represent creatures shaking themselves awake. There are semiquaver
bird calls from flute, oboes and bassoon. Just what sort of a bird the bassoon
is I shudder to think: maybe a dodo. Still Haydn has a surprise up his sleeve
as he begins the recapitulation (3:29) on solo horn. This is the first time
I’ve heard Poland’s only period instrument orchestra, the National
Forum of Music Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra. What a terrific performance it gives
in the Accord recording, a wonderful celebration of the joy of being alive.
This culminates in getting bolder in the second half repeat so that the final
bassoon bird-call is more like cocking a snook. Based in Belgium, La Petite
Bande in the Accent recording is much better known and living up to its name
has a smaller string section with only 2 first and 2 second violins. The Wroclaw
Baroque Orchestra have 3 of each. Both orchestras then complete the strings
with one each viola, cello and double bass. Perhaps because of this La Petite
Bande’s strings are more vehement in their articulation and dynamic
contrasts. The latter is particularly finely realized, bringing out the teeming
vivacity of the piece and leaving the woodwind to provide lyricism rather
as a relief. This all makes for streamlined precision virtuoso display but
it’s not as enjoyable as the Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra’s emphasis
on the joy of the music and music-making.
In his 1976 book on Haydn symphonies Anthony Hodgson reckons the slow movement
is a music lesson. Well, the first violin demonstrates mastery, but what about
the cello which soon joins in and leads in the second part of the Andante
which follows the Adagio introduction? A star pupil? The way the rest,
the strings, tiptoe about, or if you like introduce a basic framework, at
the beginning of the Andante sections and yet occasionally make echoing
and other forays of their own is entertaining too. The proceedings end with
a lovely Adagio, a close of lesson benediction perhaps. What’s
clear in Thiel’s account is that the soloists enjoy their flights of
fancy: the first violin embellishes the cadence ending the first part of the
Andante, the cello that ending the second part. The others manage to
contribute as well without any hint of disrespect. Kuijken’s take on
this movement offers more contrast. There’s more character to the introduction,
a more commanding presence at the outset but thereafter more winsome lyricism.
The tempo change to Andante is more marked so the strings’ proposition
is more jocular and the solo violin’s response merrier. As if that’s
enough high jinks the cadences ending each part are unadorned and the closing
Adagio is just formally reverent, less magical than Thiel’s.
Thiel’s Minuet has a staid opening from which the flute escapes and
in its second strain oboes, then horns become expansive. These are finally
joined racily by the violins, a transformation Thiel relishes. The Trio is
even more exotic, featuring a dogged double bass solo backed by pizzicato
cello and important input from bassoon and viola, colourfully realized by
Thiel. Kuijken brings more swing to the Minuet at the outset, anticipating
and allowing for a cheekier flute solo and then skipping second strain. This
is before he makes an effective contrast by paying particular attention to
the sudden cut-off, pause and calming down of the final phrase. Kuijken’s
Trio, smoother and more lightly articulated than Thiel’s, has greater
humour and has more in common with the mood of the Minuet than that of Thiel.
The finale from Thiel is all youthful high spirits, dashing in both senses.
It’s marked Allegro. Thiel takes it closer to Presto but
this nicely points up the charming points of temporary relaxation towards
the end of both its sections when the scoring thins out and the semiquavers
vanish. Kuijken takes the opposite approach in tempo: at a timing of 6:02
against Thiel’s 4:42 he’s just about Allegretto which makes
the relaxation a bit drawling. True, you get more inner detail and finely
nuanced violin solo from Kuijken but it’s at the expense of dynamism.
Symphony 7 is very much a sinfonia concertante with significant involvement
of solo first and second violins, cello and a strong showing also from a pair
of oboes and horns. In the first movement this makes (tr. 5) for a lively
conversation of equals as its joyous Allegro gambols friskily along
after an introduction which contrasts earthy horns and bassoon with regal
strings. There really isn’t a dull moment but most surprising is the
variety of mood of the first violin solo, with a suddenly wistful passage
(from 4:32 in Thiel) amid all the whoopee. Thiel adopts a slightly faster
tempo than Kuijken (7:53 against 7:33) with thereby more emphasis on adrenalin
than savouring. Kuijken is more laid back and refined, especially his own
first violin solos; throughout he gives us great vertical clarity. Thiel is
more exciting, in particular the contribution of the horns but also the way
he keeps everything tingling along. There’s more celebration here of
Haydn’s mastery of the blending of all the instruments.
The Accord CD puts the second and third movements together on one track. This
makes sense because the second movement is a dramatic and highly varied Recitative,
the third an Adagio of serenity and exquisite refinement. The matching
is a little problematic in that the Recitative is more troubled. Zbigniew
Pilch, Thiel’s violin soloist who carries it, stands out in particularly
high relief against warm and smooth oboes and strings at the opening. Thiel
takes it in a more measured fashion than Kuijken (2:50 against 2:32) which
results in less urgency but more individuality to the soloist’s statements.
The third movement Adagio then can be heard from Thiel as a contented Aria,
as it were. This sweeps away the earlier clouds in which the violin soloist
now has the cello as like minded partner. Two flutes provide a heavenly obbligato
backdrop. All this is rather more fastidiously presented and sweetly distilled
by Kuijken at a slightly faster tempo (6:02 against 6:24) but in comparison
with Thiel’s living in the moment it seems a little distanced.
To the fourth movement Minuet (tr. 7) Thiel brings an engaging swagger. I
like the way he softens the violins’ highest rising phrase in the opening
section to anticipate the soft quavers which follow. It’s full of tricks
like the first violins’ syncopation against the seconds (0:42), here
presented tongue in cheek while the Trio unusually spotlights the cello. Kuijken’s
Minuet is a bit more weighty but less lilting while in the Trio his cellist
is more lyrical yet has less presence than Thiel who is cellist here as well
as conductor. In the finale (tr. 8) all the instruments come together and
there’s a party atmosphere. Thiel attacks with relish, the flute now
chirpy and enjoys a phrase that ends in mid air (first heard at 0:33). Kuijken
has equal fizz but his touch more measure (4:44 against 4:13), while providing
more instrumental detail and rhythmic bite, makes the festivity a little more
courtly.
Symphony 8 begins quietly beaming but soon opens out.
Thiel scurries around with great verve, grinning and sprightly but offset
by flute and oboes’ calming passages. The dynamic contrasts which are
an important feature throughout are clearly put across. Thiel’s horns
really let rip in the second section repeat. Kuijken is surprisingly more
high powered, intense in contrast of dynamics and steely in rigour but with
less sense of respite. The slow movement features a pair of violins plus cello
and bassoon soloists. It’s the most reflective in all the symphonies
here, sweet, sunny and exquisitely realized by Thiel. It is luxuriantly warm
and relaxed, but at a tempo which is more Adagietto than the marked
Andante. The outcome is that you begin to lose a sense of momentum
and wonder when the movement will end. Kuijken, who takes 8:03 rather than
Thiel’s 8:40, displays more flow which for me enhances the movement’s
intimacy and hence sensitivity. At the same time it’s always clear it’s
going somewhere. The Minuet is cheery, rather conventional but bolstered by
Thiel’s horn contributions. It’s Thiel’s Trio that’s
more distinctive in its benign jollity with double bass solo and a lovely
little cadenza added at the fermata in the second half repeat. Kuijken’s
Minuet is a touch slower and more formal, yet by contrast his Trio is warmer
and more rustic. In the finale we come full circle back to Beethoven’s
Pastoral Symphony with Haydn’s Storm. Lots of spruce demisemiquaver
thrashing around to enjoy from Thiel here. It’s very much more stimulating
than scary however, even if the flute solos could be a bird showing some signs
of alarm. Kuijken is again slower but rather more biting with waves of sudden
attack. Even so, his more lightly articulated flute is pretty contented, definitely
not a bird, possibly pattering raindrops?
Thiel provides the notes in his CD’s booklet. Like his performances,
they’re brimming with enthusiasm. The notes in the Accent CD booklet,
by Bernhard Blattmann, like Kuijken’s playing, display their learning
and a more objective consideration. In fact both CDs are satisfying in different
ways but if I had to make a choice my preference would be for Thiel’s
freshness and directness over Kuijken’s neatness and sophistication.
Michael Greenhalgh
Thiel offers freshness and directness, Kuijken neatness and sophistication.
Masterwork Index: Haydn symphonies
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