Sunday 22 May 2016

Haydn - Keyboard Concertos - Staier/Freiburg Barockorchester/Goltz


Rating: 5/5

Review:
A wonderfully enjoyable disc

This is a terrific disc of three of Haydn's best keyboard concertos, Nos. 4, 6 and 11. Haydn wasn't always at his most comfortable in the concerto form but did produce some real beauties and the three here are really good. They have all of Haydn's wit and sparkle and also the depth he always brought to his music and they deserve to be better known.

Andreas Staier is now one of the leading period performers on the keyboard. On this recording he plays a modern copy of a 1785 fortepiano. Combined with the period instruments of the orchestra this gives a good idea of the way the concertos might have sounded in Haydn's day. The performances are really excellent, with Staier's virtuosity shining delightfully and the excellent Freiburger Barockorchester proving sympathetic an supple throughout. These are performers who really understand that Haydn often said serious things in a witty way and they do real justice to this fine music.

The recorded sound is excellent and the booklet is attractive with full, informative notes. This is an excellent disc all round and warmly recommended.

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