Michael Haydn wrote his Italian “Serenata” to a libretto by Metastasio on the theme of the lover’s grief felt by the goddess Diana, who took vows of chastity without thinking that she might be hit by Amor’s arrows. This opera in two acts from 1778 celebrated its premiere during Michael Haydn’s lifetime but then was forgotten for more than two centuries; it was first performed again in full in Salzburg in 2018 and now is finally available on cpo. The performance was a cooperative venture of the Institute for Mozart Interpretation, Salzburger Hofmusik, and Johann Michael Haydn Society. The term “serenata” should not be mistakenly equated with “serenade.” It refers to musical tributes for instruments and voices performed mostly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for occasions such as coronations, weddings, and birthdays and ranging in genre from the secular cantata to the full-scale opera. After the successful performance drehpunktkultur. at wrote: “Johann Michael Haydn, the great Joseph’s ‘little brother,’ the ‘Salzburg Haydn,’ is always good for surprises. Wolfgang Brunner introduced the composition with humorous wit and supplied finely felt and energetic accents at the harpsichord, also in the arias. His approach to the performance of the work was perfect and in original sound. The Hofmusik – and, in its sole short appearance, the Mozart University Vocal Ensemble – performed with animo and sympathetic feeling. The audience was extremely pleased.”

The Swiss-Chinese pianist Melodie Zhao teams up with the Camerata Schweiz and Howard Griffiths on this complete recording of Joseph Haydn’s concertos for keyboard instruments – for harpsichord, for pianoforte, and surprisingly also for organ. Although Haydn’s organ concertos were originally intended for the sacred setting of the Catholic liturgy, during his lifetime and with his approval they circulated exclusively and more widely for “secular instruments,” which means that they are excellently suited for the modern piano. The recording is based on the instrumental assignments and score text in the musicological complete edition of Haydn’s works, and the compositions originally intended for the organ are heard here for the first time following the new edition of 2020.

In September 2015 the Salzburger Hofmusik under Wolfgang Brunner presented a semi-scenic performance of the “Salzburg Haydn’s” Singspiel MH 118 during the Salzburg Haydn Week and in cooperation with the Michael Haydn Society and the Mozarteum University of Salzburg. More than two centuries had passed since its premiere in Salzburg, and Die Wahrheit der Natur (The Truth of Nature) is now also finally available on this album. Salzburg’s rich theatrical tradition was once inseparably linked to the Benedictine University. The final comedies presented by students at the university at the end of the academic year along with the participation of members of the court ensemble were in particular very popular and open to all local residents. As the music for this delightful comic and didactic poem penned by the Benedictine priest Florian Reichssiegel demonstrates, Michael Haydn also made original contributions to this genre. Reason, in the guise of Mentor, seeks true art with assistance from the three Graces, the daughters of Nature. During their quest for knowledge the four again and again meet curious types like the vain master of song Vollstreich, the braggart painter Wurmstich, and the ill-mannered schoolmaster Bockstolz and his wife Urschel. The plot includes scenes in which the quest for art is portrayed not only as a series of lessons but also as an entertaining adventure.

Michael Haydn, brother of Joseph, has been a special focus for the cpo label. Following the symphonies, cpo are now dedicating themselves to a group of five works for a quintet ensemble, entertaining court music on the highest level, consisting of two violins, two violas, and basso have come down to us. M. Haydn designated two of the quintets as divertimentos and then exceeded the classical number of four movements. The Haydn Quintet of Salzburg performs on historical instruments in a historical setting – the Kuenburg Palais in the heart of Salzburg.

•Dorothee Mields is one of the leading female vocalists in the field of the music of the 17th – 18th centuries and is especially loved by the public and press for her unique timbre and moving interpretations. Possessing in addition a flawless technique and an ethereal vocal clarity, makes her a fortunate choice for the interpretation of Haydn's Scottish songs and English canzonettas. The ensemble Les Amis de Philippe assists her with great sensitivity.

Johann Michael Haydn never quite reached the fame of his older brother Joseph, but still introduced an impressive oeuvre into the classical repertoire. J. M. Haydn’s Serenade in D was composed in Salzburg in 1767. The ten movement work displays Haydn’s affinity for chamber compositions. Founded in 1986, the Virtuosi Saxoniae is made up of principal members of the Dresden Staatskapelle. The ensemble concerns itself with 18th century European music, devoting themselves to the great figures of the Hasse era.

Haydn Opera Rarities with Top Stars! Although Joseph Haydn is still regarded above all as a master of instrumental music, he was also a contemporary of the future as an opera composer. For a not unsubstantial length of his life, he chiefly devoted himself to this genre as the opera director of Prince Esterházy, he headed over a thousand opera productions in Esterháza including the ‘hits’ of the time as well as stage works of his own. It is unusual and a pointer to the future that women take control in both operas presented here. In addition, these female protagonists are people of flesh and blood, strong and pragmatic the spirit of the Enlightenment can be sensed.

After her highly appraised debut CD with French Music for cello and piano, Harriet Krijgh presents her virtuosity and technical finesse with the new recording of both Cello Concertos by Joseph Haydn. Harriet Krijgh was born in the Netherlands in June 1991 and received her first cello lessons at the age of five. In 2000 she was admitted into the preparatory young talent class of Lenian Benjamins at the Conservatory of Music in Utrecht. In 2004 Harriet moved to Vienna, where she continued her cello studies with Lilia Schulz-Bayrova and Jontscho Bayrov at the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität. In June 2012 Harriet will have her own festival at Burg Feistritz in Austria. The event marks the launch of the annual “Harriet & Friends” Chamber Music Festival, where she will play select works with musicians from around the world.