Best Haydn
Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto in C major, Hob. VIIb:1, is a three-movement Classical concerto probably written during his service to the Esterhazy court. Although Haydn listed the work in his own thematic catalogue, its score was considered lost until a set of parts was identified in the Prague Nati...
The Creation is an oratorio composed by Joseph Haydn between 1796 and 1798, premiering in Vienna to considerable public interest. The work is structured into three parts and portrays the biblical creation of the world as described in the Book of Genesis and Milton's Paradise Lost. It employs a large...
Joseph Haydn composed the oratorio "The Creation" (Die Schöpfung), Hob. XXI:2, between 1796 and 1798, with its public premiere taking place in Vienna in 1799. The work translates the biblical Genesis narrative and John Milton's "Paradise Lost" into a large-scale musical structure for vocal soloists,...
Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major, Hob. VIIb:2, is a three-movement concerto generally dated to 1783. Written in the Classical style, it combines lyrical solo writing with technically demanding passages, including rapid figurations and playing in the cello's upper register. It is one of...
The String Quartet in C Major, Op. 76, No. 3, also known as the Emperor Quartet, is a chamber music composition by Joseph Haydn completed in 1797. It is the third of six string quartets dedicated to the Hungarian Count Joseph Erdödy. The quartet is best known for its second movement, a set of four v...
Joseph Haydn’s *The Creation*, Hob. XXI:2 is a significant choral oratorio from the late Classical period. This work showcases Haydn's masterful skill in combining dramatic storytelling with intricate vocal and instrumental textures. It depicts the biblical narrative of creation, featuring prominent...
Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in C major, Op. 76 No. 3 is a significant work within his chamber music output. Composed around 1798, it's part of the “Emperor” quartets, known for their expressive melodies and complex interplay between instruments. The piece showcases Haydn’s mastery of counterpoint...
The finale of Joseph Haydn's String Quartet Op. 20 No. 5 in F minor is a double fugue composed in 1772. Marked "fuga a due soggetti," it is one of the most rigorous contrapuntal finales in the Classical chamber repertoire. The movement demonstrates Haydn's mastery of Baroque contrapuntal techniques...
Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp minor, known as the "Farewell" Symphony, was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1772 for his patron, Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. The work is famous for its unconventional final movement, during which musicians snuff out their candles and leave the stage one by one. This theatrical...
Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 76 No. 3, known as ‘Emperor’, Hob. III:77, is a significant work from 1797. This chamber piece showcases Haydn's mastery of variation form and features a second movement built upon a melody that evolved into the German national anthem. It’s notable for its intricate musica...
Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 94 in G major, known as the “Surprise Symphony,” is a cornerstone of the Classical period. Its notable feature is the sudden, unexpected loud chord played by the orchestra during the second movement, creating a dramatic and memorable effect. Composed around 1789, this wor...
Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major was composed around 1761–1765 during his early tenure at the Esterházy court, where he served as vice-Kapellmeister under Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. The work was long believed lost until a copy was discovered at the Prague National Museum in 1961 by mus...
Haydn’s Symphony No. 104, or “London,” is a significant work from his late period composed in 1795. This orchestral symphony showcases Haydn's evolving style and remains a cornerstone of the Classical era. It’s notable for its dramatic contrasts, rich orchestration, and overall structural complexity...
The Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major is a three-movement orchestral work composed by Joseph Haydn in 1796. Haydn wrote the piece specifically for his friend Anton Weidinger, a virtuoso who had developed a new keyed trumpet capable of playing chromatic notes outside the traditional harmonic series. T...
The Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major, Hob. VIIe:1, is a major orchestral work composed by Joseph Haydn in 1796. It was specifically written for his friend Anton Weidinger, a virtuoso who had developed a keyed trumpet capable of playing chromatic notes across its entire register. The composition was...
Haydn's String Quartet Op. 20 No. 2 in C major (1772) ends with a fugue, part of his landmark set in which three of the six finales employ strict fugal writing, asserting counterpoint within Classical form.
Haydn’s *Die Schöpfung* (The Creation) is a sacred oratorio composed in 1798. It portrays the biblical narrative of creation across six days, showcasing Haydn's mastery of orchestral and choral writing within the Western classical tradition. The work’s complexity and emotional depth have secured its...
Symphony No. 100 in G major, Hob. I:100, is one of Joseph Haydn's twelve London Symphonies, premiered at the King's Theatre on March 31, 1794, during his second visit to England. It acquired the nickname "Military" due to the prominent use of percussion instruments—specifically cymbals, triangle, an...
Haydn's String Quartet Op. 20 No. 6 in A major (1772) ends with a four-voice fugue, one of three fugal finales in the Op. 20 set that demonstrated his mastery of counterpoint within the string quartet.
Haydn’s Symphony No. 94, known as “Surprise,” is a significant work of the late Classical period. Composed in 1791, its most notable feature is the unexpected forte chord within the second movement, a deliberate innovation intended to draw the audience's attention. This symphony is particularly rele...
Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 in D major, known as the “London” Symphony, was composed during his last trip to England in 1795. This work represents a significant culmination of Haydn's career and exemplifies the grandeur of the Classical period. Its intricate orchestration and melodic development are no...
Joseph Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major is a significant early example of the trumpet concerto form. Composed around 1791, it showcases the capabilities of the instrument within a classical setting. The work features a demanding part for the trumpet and an orchestral accompaniment. It remain...
Haydn’s *The Seasons*, oratorio Hob. XXI:3, is a late masterpiece exploring the cycle of the year. Composed in 1801, it features a German libretto based on James Thomson's poem, vividly portraying nature and its changes across spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The work showcases Haydn’s mature cho...
Giovanni Antonini is an Italian conductor and performer on the recorder and Baroque transverse flute. He co-founded the Milan-based period-instrument ensemble Il Giardino Armonico in 1985 and became closely associated with historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical repertory. He has...
Ádám Fischer is a Hungarian conductor known for his work in opera and the central European orchestral repertory. He founded the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra and conducted its complete recorded cycle of Joseph Haydn's symphonies, a project produced over many years. Fischer has also held conductin...
Joseph Haydn composed his Symphony No. 94 in G major in 1791 during his first visit to London. The piece is best known for its second movement, which features a sudden, loud fortissimo chord that gives the symphony its popular nickname, the "Surprise." It is one of the twelve London Symphonies writt...
The Seasons (Die Jahreszeiten) is an oratorio by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, completed in 1801. The work is based on the English poem "The Seasons" by James Thomson, with the German adaptation prepared by Baron Gottfried van Swieten. Divided into four parts corresponding to spring, summer, autum...
Haydn is often called the 'Father of the Symphony' and his string quartets are the perfect showcase of classical wit and structural ingenuity. They are conversational, witty, and perfectly balanced, treating the four instruments as equal partners in a musical dialogue. They are intellectually satisf...
Joseph Haydn's Piano Concerto in D major, Hob. XVIII:11, is a Classical-era concerto for keyboard and orchestra in three movements. The finale is a rondo marked 'all'Ongarese,' incorporating Hungarian-style melodic elements. It is the most frequently performed of Haydn's keyboard concertos and is sc...
The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross is a composition by Joseph Haydn that exists in multiple versions. Originally commissioned in 1787 as a set of orchestral meditations for a church in Cádiz, Spain, the work features an introduction, seven slow movements reflecting on the final stateme...
