Russian pianist Daria Gloukhova is one of the most compelling pianists to have emerged the past several years. This is not the kind of flat Haydn performance that often befalls these works. This is Haydn imbued with fire and passion, but always given with taste and charm.

Note: This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players, and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Joseph Haydn
Complete works for Solo Keyboard

Tom Beghin, keyboard

* The First Naxos Blu-Ray- a recording of the complete works of Joseph Haydn for solo keyboard in nine virtual reconstructions of the rooms in which these pieces would have been originally performed, using seven specially-crafted historical keyboards.
* A trail-blazing project of four Blu-Ray discs featuring 14.5 hours of music with an added “picture in picture” option, plus a three-hour documentary on the “making of” the recordings, directed by award-winning director and screen-writer Robert J. Litz.
* A fully interactive experience, this epic set offers users the opportunity to “direct” their own performance of a short Andante for Musical Clock; by selecting from a choice of rooms and instruments users can freely navigate 63 possible combinations to experiment with sound and acoustics as if wandering the 18th century halls themselves.

Picture format: 1080i High Definition
Sound format: PCM 2.0 / DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: Dutch, French, German, Japanese
Running time: 18 hours
No. of Discs: 4 (BD 50) N

Classical Music

Classical Music

This series of DVDs features travel scenes accompanied by classical music.

The Places
The tour of London takes us to the best known parts of the British capital, with views of the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Hampton Court and down river to Greenwich.

The Music
The music for this tour of London is taken from the last two of Joseph Haydn's twelve London Symphonies, the last such works that he would write, composed specially for a series of concerts he gave in London in the 1790s, during two extended visits.

Picture format: NTSC 4:3
Sound format: Dolby Digital / DTS Surround
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 60 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

Johann Michael Haydn's music has inevitably been overshadowed by that of his elder brother Franz Joseph, but his music represents some of the best features of 19th century classicism. These four Sinfonias span just over a decade, from the graceful combination of elegance and liveliness in the Sinfonia in D, the muted violins in the Adagietto affettuoso of the Sinfonia in E-Flat, the lovely sicilienne of the Sinfonia in B-Flat to the substantial Sinfonia in F, which features a solo violin and cor anglais playing together or in alternation.

This is the first of what one hopes will be a complete set of the Michael Haydn symphonies. If so, this release is a more than auspicious start, which will give much pleasure, especially in these idiomatic performances (on modern instruments).

For all that Michael lurks in the shadow cast by his brother, recent performances – and it is welcome to have so many more, especially on CD – have made it clear that he was no minor figure, but an accomplished composer in his own right. His contemporaries had little doubt of his stature. Although his relationship with Leopold Mozart was strained, he had a close friendship with Wolfgang, who appears to have been influenced by his music, and certainly promoted it in Vienna. A common feature between the two, heard to good effect in these symphonies, is a charming gift for writing effectively for the woodwinds.

Nor should these symphonies be considered less pleasurable than those by Josef. If there is a difference, it is not in musical facility nor in ingenious orchestration. If Michael does not quite plumb the same depths, there are similarities in construction and in the unusual effects. Listen for example, to the Rondeau of the C major work (track 8) as a splendid instance of confident, even exuberant, invention. There is an interesting study to be done on the extent to which Josef influenced his brother and vice-versa. They corresponded but rarely met during the forty years of Michael’s time in Salzburg, yet there are similarities in approach. I sometimes forget which brother I am hearing, though Michael was less of a pioneer. Also, he had a strong preference for major keys, as here (only Symphony No 20, not on this disc, is in a minor key), which slightly limited his emotional range. His gift is for the exciting.

This CD will give enormous pleasure, and perhaps encourage wider performance. Gallois has the music’s measure and the orchestra plays very well. It is interesting to make comparisons with Bohdan Warchal’s set of 20 symphonies on CPO (CPO 9995912), though the D major is not included there (but it is on a recording from the same label conducted by Johannes Goritzki – CPO 9991792) . The CPO set is a joy – so is this.

I look forward very much to the remainder of this series. It would be a wonderful if Naxos turned its attention to a complete set of the Masses. Josef thought Michael’s finer than his own, not without justice. From time to time a new recording appears (Hungaraton have shown commitment to the cause), but there is so much to explore.

– MusicWeb International (Michael Wilkinson)

Sinfonia in G major (Perger 16) (Symphony No. 25)
Sinfonia in D major (Perger 21) (Symphony No. 30)
Sinfonia in C major (Perger 19) (Symphony No. 28)
Sinfonia in A major (Perger 15) (Symphony No. 24)

The oratorio Der Kampf der Buße ind Bekehrung (The Struggle for Penance and Conversion) is among Michael Haydn's lesser-known works. The Purcell Choir together with the Orfeo Orchestra, under the direction of György Vashegyi, now present a recording of the second and only surviving part of this three-part oratorio. It is impressive, especially for its unusual scoring: All of the the five solo roles are allotted to sopranos. The artistic mixture of majestic passages, surprising turns, Baroque rhetorical figures, and virtuoso arias makes clear why later composers such as Mozart, Schubert, and Bruckner repeatedly took Michael Haydn's music as their model.

• The Auryn Quartet perform Haydn's Op.55 quartets Nos. 1-3 (1788). • In its 30-year existence, the Auryn Quartet has not had a single change of personnel. • The Auryn Quartet have been exclusive Tacet recording artists since 2000. • Since 2003 the quartet has maintained a teaching position at the Music Academy in Detmold, Germany, where they are professors for chamber-music.

The Auryn Quartet’s Haydn cycle is now complete, and it is easily the finest available in terms of consistency of approach, technical excellence, and sonic superiority. The Op. 76 quartets have enjoyed many fine performances, and interpretively these newcomers might yield something in sheer finesse to the Tokyo Quartet version, but this is a purely personal judgment. First violinist Matthias Lingenfelder has a brief moment or two of precarious intonation in the first movement of the “Emperor” quartet, and in the scherzos there are some tiny rhythmic inflections that need to be lived with in order to determine how well their charm holds up (so far, so good).

In all other respects, these performances are outstanding. Op. 76 No. 6 is particularly impressive, and also typical of the high standards on offer throughout the series. The Fantasia is wonderfully eloquent in its purity and simplicity, and the finale, which can so often sound dry and mechanical, is actually phrased and shaped so that its lyrical impulse is always evident behind Haydn’s humorous “game of upbeats”. Tacet’s sonics throughout this entire series are unequalled for naturalness and warmth. Living with this cycle has been one of the most rewarding musical experiences of recent years. It deserves your support, and will reward your time with countless hours of listening pleasure.

– David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Following the triumphant reception of the six ground-breaking London Symphonies Hob. I:93-98 during his first visit to England, Joseph Haydn was at the height of his fame when he embarked on his trip back to Vienna in July 1792. Although he had planned to return to the city on the River Thames within six months, Haydn's second visit to England was delayed for an entire year for unknown reasons. In the meantime, he continued to compose and finished his Symphony No. 99 in Vienna in 1793, although the work did not receive its premiere there. Unlike London or Paris, Vienna did not have an active concert life outside of the world of court music at the time. London's large and capable orchestras did not have their equal in Vienna, and neither did London's music press, which enticed the public with timely announcements and reviews. Bruno Weil and the Cappella Coloniensis inspire also with an enthralling and intelligent play in the third serie.

Cappella Coloniensis, founded 1954, was the first orchestra in the world to make music according to historical performance practices, and an important principle remains the use of historically determined instruments and the playing techniques they require. + Under principle conductor Bruno Weil, Cappella Coloniensis was twice awarded the Echo-Klassik Prize of the German Recording Industry. + Recorded live in concert, Bruno Weil leads the CC in Franz Joseph Haydn’s final three symphonies and the last of the “London Symphonies”, Nos. 102, 103 & 104, with a bonus CD of explanations by Mr. Weil.

Inspired by his discovery of Handel's Messiah, Joseph Haydn spent two years composing his oratorio Die Sch�pfung (The Creation). The revered conductor, Philippe Herreweghe continues his exploration of Haydn's vocal works with the Collegium Vocale Gent and Orchestre des Champs-�lys�es investing the oratorio with an abundance of tone and color that makes this enduring masterpiece a transporting experience. Featuring the soloists Christina Landshamer, Maximilian Schmitt and Rudolf Rosen.

This SACD contains Joseph Haydn’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in C major and his Sinfonia Concertante in B flat major. The pieces are performed by one of the 20th century’s leading violinists, Pinchas Zukerman, former Principal Cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Ronald Leonhard, oboist Barbara Winters and bassoonist David Breidenthal, together with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. These are outstanding performances of often neglected repertoire by the great Classical master, finally realised in the finest sound quality.