Monday 22 February 2010

Haydn - Symphony 87 [Goodman - The Hanover Band]

Just a note here about the cover, i bought the Paris Symphonies [82-87] by Goodman on Hyperion, and put them in the back of this two disc set by Dutoit, that's why the title doesn't match the picture.

The Englishman Roy Goodman specialises in early music performance, he was contracted to produce a complete Haydn symphonic cycle, but it was abandoned about half way through because of funding i believe, but what he left behind is highly rated.

Right from the get go, the opening movement is full of exuberance and sparkle, it has an unstoppable exhilarating rush to it, highly addictive in it's enthusiasm, the way it speeds up it's main theme into a froth, and then keeps coming back again and again is incredible [0:08-0:26 & 1:44-2:09], it changes key [3:27 onwards], but the rhythm doesn't stop, the froth fizzes some more, this time with a innocent little intro that explodes [4:51-5:21], the whole thing is like an uncorked champagne bottle, fizz 'n' froth, it makes me want to get up and dance and celebrate!.

Here's Norrington conducting this Symphony on YouTube.