Customer Reviews

Haydn: Symphonies nos. 91 & 92, Scenea di Berenice

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I like to think this is how Haydn would have heard (or wanted to hear) his symphonies performed; period instruments, violins separated, big winds, hard mallets for the timpani, and an ever-present - but never distracting - continuo provided by a piano forte. At the same time, I like to think Haydn would approve of Jacobs' work here. It is not that he simply provides the requisite amount of humor, or plays the allegros with vigor. Rather, Jacobs' ability to really tap into the intention behind each note is illustrative of his deep understanding of Baroque and early classical music.

Examining the slow introductions to both symphonies provides a prime example. Listen to his gutsy opening to the E-flat symphony or his stunning unfolding of the "Oxford," simply one of the most sublime on disc, which builds tension with embarrassing effectiveness in less than two minutes time. That same movement's allegro is brisk, the tuttis bursting with spumescent effervescence and vigor. Jacob's observes every repeat here, as well as in the neighboring E-flat symphony, but you would hardly know, as he (rightly) highlights something new each time the music comes around - just listen to the delightful dialogue between flute and piano forte at the close of the exposition, or how the repeat of the development and recapitulation never sounds tedious. This is also true of the performance of the E-flat symphony, where Jacobs' handling of the second subject in the recapitulation shows how Haydn, through subtle differences in orchestration, could create an entirely different effective with the same motive elements. It is dramatic, exciting, dare I say "romantic," and emblazons the recapitulation with a kaleidoscope of colors. The development is equally fine, where the fabulous strings really dig into their parts with vertiginous ferocity.

The minuets and finales of both symphonies are in keeping with the current practice of "faster is better," which might explain the ridiculous tempo Jacobs adopts for the finale of "Oxford." However, that the Freiburg players not only keep up with Jacobs but seem to relish in the presto justifies the speed, adds more Haydnesque humor than even the most avid listener could want, and, from a purely technical standpoint, is just miraculous. That same symphony's trio features some wonderful horn work, while Jacobs revels in the music's start-stop humor with an exciting accelerando and fun dynamic shifts. Thrilling horn work pervades the E-flat Symphony's trio as well, while the finale is all fun, benefited by a fully audible solo cello.

The andante of both symphonies may give some listeners pause. In the E-flat symphony, the Haydn's solo violin part is treated as a "jumping off" point for the soloist, who adds embellishments and ornamentation throughout. This bothers me not in the slightest. For one, Haydn's writing here is sturdy enough to handle such stylized handling of the solo part. Secondly, this was the common practice during Haydn's lifetime. Finally, the handling of the ornamentation is sensitive to Haydn's intentions and judiciously applied to the multifarious motifs. The adagio of the "Oxford" is more problematic. Jacobs has the pianoforte playing a continuo throughout the movement, which adds a cloying preciousness to the otherwise sublime nature of this music. The timbre of the pianoforte is akin to a harp and while it adds a great deal of color to the movement, it sounds out of place, even if it may be historically correct. Still, the movement is beautifully played, and the minor episodes are thrilling to say the least.

The concert aria, add-on that it is, can hardly be viewed as a filler. Listeners of Haydn are certainly more familiar with his symphonic output than his masses, oratorios, and certainly his long-abandoned operas (why they are not more often played is anyone's guess) so having this scene on disc is certainly a welcome bonus. One forgets how dramatic, stylized, and thrilling Haydn's music that accompanies voice truly is. I am immediately reminded of the demonic energy of Winter from the Season's here, and its wonderful to see Haydn's vocal music placed side-by-side his Symphonies. For one, for the obvious contracts. But also, as always with this composer, there are subtle links which illustrate not only how brilliant Haydn was but also how important he was in the history of music. Bernarda Fink is simply fabulous in both the recitative passages and in the aria proper.

What a wonderful release that, the above reservation about the adagio of the "Oxford" aside, I can recommend without reservation. These performances really stand out among the competition, beating out Dorati's otherwise fine performance due to that extra ounce of excitement, beating Bruggen's beautiful, but poorly recorded, performances, passing by Fischer because the Freiburg players create a more idiomatic sound, and blowing Rattle's mediocre Berlin performance's out of the water on every level. While it saddens me that Jacobs has not recorded more of the Haydn symphonies, his Mozart operas and Bach vocal performances are simply stunning. A winning release.

Wow! Words fail me...just mindboggling...absolutely beautiful. I am so impressed with this recording and its conductor Rene Jacobs.

Out of the dozens of recordings of these two symphonies (Nos. 91 & 92) in my collection, this by far the best...and the dramatic piece, "Scenes of Berenice" just adds even more to the uniqueness of this recording. All in all, its a must have.

From what I've heard here, Fink has is all wrong. Presto DOES NOT MEAN play as fast as you can as here in the finale of 92. It means fast but not at the expense of detail. Avoid this CD at all costs unless you want it as part of your joke collection.