Haydn - The Sturm und Drang Symphonies - English Concert/Pinnock

Rating: 5/5
 
Review:
A superb box

This is a simply superb box of magnificent music, excellently performed.  Haydn's "Sturm und Drang" symphonies, written between roughly 1766 and 1773 constitute a great body of work even by Haydn's own stellar standards, full of emotional intensity, minor-key angst and drama – and of course, there's still some of his trademark wit and knowing twinkle in places.  It's great music, conceived for a fairly small orchestra, and Pinnock's English Concert get it just right, I think.

There is, as you would expect from Pinnock, careful scholarship and consideration of every movement, which shows itself not in dry, academic performances but in the variety and depth of emotion in every movement.  This is also due to the excellence of the players; a glance at the names in the English Concert at this time (the set was recorded in the very late 80s) will give you an idea:  Simon Standage, Andrew Manze, Lisa Beznosiuk to name but three.  It's a terrific ensemble and combined with Pinnock's direction (and excellent harpsichord work) they produce something pretty special.

I love this set.  The recorded sound is very good, the notes by Nicholas Kenyon are very informative and (like all these Archiv reissues) it's nicely presented with an attractive box and simple but good cardboard sleeves for each disc.  At the time of writing it costs around fifteen quid, which for six CDs of this quality is an absolute steal, so my advice is to snap it up.  It's a gem.