HAYDN Cello Concertos; BEETHOVEN Romances

“He plays wide, beautifully, without drowning the winding outlines of these monologues.” Diapason

“Müller-Schott's phrasing and colouring are always imaginative, and his fast movements are elegant and vital.” --BBC Music Magazine, September 2003

"Genuine discoveries: Beethoven's two romances for violin, which Müller-Schott presents here with his own arrangements, which means that for the first time they are available on a CD in a version arranged for cello." --CD-Tipp Bayern-4 Klassik, July 2003

There’s no shortage of fine young cellists, but Daniel Müller-Schott is one of the most impressive – his brilliant technique, ringing tone and persuasive musicianship combine to great effect in the outer movements of the Haydn concertos. From the outset it’s clear that he and the ACO are clued up on 18th-century performance style, giving us elegantly turned phrases, lifted up beats, springy rhythms and clear textures. This stylishness informs the stateliness of the C major’s first movement, and the joyfulness of the D major finale, but in some respects it’s only skin deep – the D major’s first movement includes, for example, some very strange decisions about slurs and articulation. In such matters Isserlis and Norrington’s COE prove more reliable guides, with Isserlis’s lighter, gentler style providing the most noticeable interpretative contrast. In the slow movements, his delicate expression and flowing tempi are persuasive, but some listeners may prefer Müller- Schott’s more intense expression and broader speeds.

Isserlis/Norrington offer the substantial bonus of a splendid account of the Haydn Sinfonia Concertante, but the extra items here are unusually interesting, too. Müller-Schott’s arrangement of Beethoven’s violin romances consists of transposing the music down an octave and, in Op 40, modifying some double stops. Both romances are beautifully played, with the same sense of poise as in the concertos. Hearing the principal voice in a lower register doesn’t make the music turgid; the overall sound is, indeed, most appealing; the wind passages in Op 40 are especially memorable. Strongly recommended.

Duncan Druce, The Gramophone

HAYDN the London Symphonies Nos. 93 - 104

The performances of the AustroHungarian Haydn Orchestra conducted by Adam Fischer are still considered one of the best complete recordings, fully capturing Haydn's style: wit, charm, fire, balance and transparency. These were recorded in the famous Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria, where Haydn spent many years composing for the Count.  

Joseph Haydn, often referred to as ‘The Father of the Symphony’, has an enormous 109 of these works to his name. Within his vast oeuvre of symphonies is a group of 12, written between 1781 and 1795, which are known as the ‘London’ symphonies, composed during or for his two visits to the English capital.

Brimming with inspiration and character, the ‘London’ symphonies contain many of the legendary moments of Haydn’s works, including the drumroll opening of No.103, the ticking of the clock in the Andante of No.101, the jubilant sound of the triangle in the finale of the ‘Military’, and that arresting interjection of the timpani in the ‘Surprise’.

This collection brings together these wonderful works, each of which contributed to Haydn’s crafting of the symphonic form that would later be taken up by none other than his pupil and friend, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra was formed by Adam Fischer in 1987 with the express purpose of performing the works of the revered composer. The Orchestra is rather appropriately based in the Esterházy Palace - where Haydn was resident for much of his life - and has toured extensively throughout Europe, the USA and Asia, performing in events such as the Mozart Festival (New York) and the BBC Proms (London).