Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809)
Symphony No. 31 in D major, Hob. I:31, Horn signal (1765) [32.05]
Symphony No. 70 in D major, Hob. I:70 (1779) [18.09]
Symphony No. 101 in D major, Hob. I:101, The Clock (1794) [26.50]
Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Robin Ticciati
rec. 31 January, 1-2, 7-8 February 2015, Usher Hall, Edinburgh
LINN RECORDS SACD CKD500 [77.00]
The first time I came across Robin Ticciati was in 2011. He
was conducting the Hallé at the Bridgewater Hall in a programme of Berlioz,
Mozart and Brahms. This fearsomely gifted young conductor had already been
appointed principal conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and since
then has become music director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera. For this fourth
Linn album Ticciati has turned his attention to Haydn with three symphonies
all in the key of D major. With each symphony being written in a different
period of Haydn’s career it is pleasing to have a perspective on the
composer’s development.
The opening work Symphony No. 31 was composed in 1765 during his
early years in the employment of the Esterházy Court at Eisenstadt. In his
chamber-sized orchestra uncommonly Haydn had four horn players available to
him a group that he accommodates significantly in the score. In 1779 the opera
house on the Esterházy estate was burnt down and the relatively short Symphony
No. 70 was written to mark the laying of the foundation stone at the
start of building work on the new opera house. Ninth in the set of twelve
London Symphonies the Symphony No. 101 was written
in 1794 and introduced in the same year in Hanover Square, London at one of
Salomon’s Haydn concerts. The ticking figures in the second movement
are the reason for the nickname The Clock.
Essentially a modern instrument ensemble the Scottish Chamber Orchestra here
under Ticciati mixes in elements of period performance practice such as natural
horns and trumpets, a fortepiano, spare use of vibrato and hard timpani sticks.
Ticciati negotiates the challenges with palpable ease yet curiously I’ve
never noticed Haydn’s tempi changes as clearly differentiated as demonstrated
here. Captivating is Ticciati’s Allegros invigorating fresh
of unabashed buoyancy with tranquil Andantes and his stately and
rhythmic Minuets are always disarming. Recorded earlier this year
at Usher Hall, Edinburgh the sound team for Linn has produced excellent sonics
on this hybrid SACD that on my standard player comes across as vividly clear
and well balanced. Three model essays by Martin Ennis, Richard Taruskin and
John Humphries complete the desirability of this excellently presented release.
On Linn Robin Ticciati and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra excel with fresh
and responsive accounts of this well chosen trio. For those looking for a
complete set of Haydn symphonies it is hard to ignore the merits of the engaging
accounts by the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra under Adam Fischer recorded
in 1987/2001 at Haydnsaal, Esterházy Palace at Eisenstadt (Brilliant).
Michael Cookson
Previous review:
Simon Thompson (Recording of the Month)
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