Released in the 200th anniversary year of Haydn’s death, this new release features pianist Tzimon Barto playing a selection of the great Classical composer’s piano sonatas. Tzimon Barto is celebrated for his "refreshing" approach (American Record Guide) to known repertoire. Barto’s highly personal approach to these works – which he has devoted himself to for much of his career – enables the listeners to make their own "unexpected encounters" with these works. Making no attempt to be "historically correct", Barto focuses instead on his discovery of impressionistic elements, as well as inspiration drawn from theatre and painting of the period. Tzimon Barto is recognised as one of the most radiant and unique personalities in the music world. His two previous recordings for Ondine – keyboard pieces by Rameau (ODE1067-2) and piano works by Ravel (ODE10952) – have received high levels of acclaim; critics have hailed Barto’s musical maturity, superb technique, and endless colour palette.

Although it is played on a period instrument, no one is arguing that this recording of Haydn's The Seven Last Words of Christ is historically authentic. The work, exceptionally in Haydn's output, exists in multiple versions, for orchestra, string quartet, chorus, and keyboard (either fortepiano or harpsichord). But surely Haydn did not have the instrument heard here, the rare tangent piano, in his head. This was, speaking roughly, a piano-harpsichord hybrid that never really found its footing in the late 18th century. As long as listeners are down with the idea of a fairly speculative recording, the effect of the tangent piano in this particular work is electrifying. Lubimov gets the best of both worlds: the intimacy of the keyboard version and the dynamic contrasts and timbral shadings of the orchestral original. The keyboard transcription is not by Haydn himself but was made in his own time, and he approved it. Lubimov works from this, tweaking it and adding contrasts that break up the seven consecutive slow movements and give them an extraordinarily expressive quality.

Haydn’s six Op. 20 string quartets are milestones in the history of the genre. He wrote them in 1772 for performance by his colleagues at the Esterházy court and, unusually, not specifically for publication. Each one is a unique masterpiece and the set introduces compositional techniques that radically transformed the genre and shaped it for centuries to come. Haydn overturns conventional instrumental roles, crafts remarkably original colours and textures, and unlocks new expressive possibilities in these works which were crucial in establishing the reputation of purely instrumental music. The range within the quartets is kaleidoscopic. From the introspective, chorale-like slow movement of No. 1 via the terse and radical quartet No. 3 in G minor to the comic spirit of the fourth in D major, each of the quartets inhabits a distinct musical world. For many, this is some of the greatest music Haydn ever wrote. Playing these seminal works is one of the world’s finest young ensembles, the Doric String Quartet.

When these quartets were recorded, the Kodaly Quartet ("KQ") had been playing together for more than a quarter century. It shows. What is evident on these recordings is the perfect cohesion of these highly talented musicians; they clearly have an intimate knowledge of the score of each quartet and thoroughly enjoy playing together. The KQ's performance is fresh, truly conveys their love for this music, and fully brings to life the range of emotions contained in this musical microcosm - playfulness, elegance, sunny joy, and gentle reverie - with every movement of these quartets having a quality of refinement and graciousness that allows the listener to savor every note.

Kissin still looks very much the boy in the cover photo of this 1994 recital, one of the earliest follow-ups to his rapturously received Chopin recitals, also on RCA. He is jsut as phenomenal here. His commanding technique is reined in for the two Haydn sonatas, yet he presses just enough on the classical line to make it sound more vibrant and enticing. Richter made a great specialty of the Schubert A minor Sonata D. 784, yet Kissin steps up with his own less haunted, more heroic interpretation–it works extremely well. Both pianists rescue Schubert from his cliched role as a lyrical innocent, revealing his underlying Beethovenian aspirations.

This disc received the 2000 Gramophone magazine award for "Best Concerto Recording." It also received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Classical Album" and "Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)." Franz Joseph Haydn made numerous contributions to the world of music. However, for a composer of his stature, he did not delve much into the realm of piano concertos. Of the 14 attributed to him, eight are probably the work of other composers. The three Haydn piano concertos on this album are all the more delightful for their rarity and beauty.

This disc is likely to have a specialised appeal it is not just Gould but Gould on unfamiliar territory. The disc contains Haydn's last 5 sonatas, extracted on to 1 CD from a set that has only 1 more piece in an expensive 2-disc format. If you know Gould's work you will not be surprised by anything here. He was the least 'romantic' in style of all the great virtuosi, his evenness of touch was legendary and he provides a certain amount of vocal obbligato (not something that bothers me). He uses a piano you could play Rachmaninov on and that does not bother me either Richter, Serkin and Horowitz used similar.

Among his favourite composers, Alfred Brendel has developed a long and fruitful partnership with Joseph Haydn. Exponent of the Viennese Classicism, Haydn seems to be one of the most suitable of composers to Brendel's playing style, from several reasons. Mainly, both the composer and his interpreter exhibit generously quite similar qualities when making music, such as: an unfailing wit, a refined sense of humour, and a tireless disposition to play - to play with emotions, with unanswered questions, even with philosophical or ethical themes.

Every work here is a delight for different reasons, and three of them are more than that: the sonatas #s 40 and 52 and the Andante con Variazioni. Two are brief: #37 (10:33) and #40 (12:14). #37 is a charmer,with a brief Largo amidst two an open Allegro con Brio and a closing Presto-ma non Troppo. The outer movements are effervescent and quite memorable-the Finale slightly more than the first movement. #40 is divided between a nine minute first movement (Allegro e Innocente) and a three minute Presto.

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.

Widely regarded as the definitive interpretation of the Elgar Cello Concerto, Jacqueline Du Pré's landmark 1965 recording of it is included in this unique compilation. Extending the musical range of the cello repertoire, from fine, exquisite cello suites by Bach to grand orchestral visions of Dvorák and Saint-Saëns, this CD set is not to be missed by fans of Du Pré's warm, brilliant interpretations. This collection, composed of the great works for the cello, is a must have in any serious classical music fan's library. It is an even better collection for the "newbie" to the genre. Jacqueline du Pre was undoubtedly one of the greatest artist of the century and her passion is well documented in this collection.

This is Volume 4 in Jean-Efflam Bavouzet’s project to record the complete piano sonatas of Haydn. The last volume in the series (CHAN10689) was a Critic’s Choice in Gramophone, an Instrumental Choice in the magazine BBC Music, Editor’s Choice in the magazine Classic FM, and Recording of the Month in MusicWeb International. In the words of Bavouzet himself: ‘Each volume of this ambitious, extended project will arrive over the years like a postcard, dispatched during my travels with scant respect for chronological considerations, but undertaken with the greatest passion for trying to convey as vividly as possible to twenty-first-century ears the boundless treasures of this sublime music.’

Throughout this Warner Classics six disc set one remains impressed with Harnoncourt’s tightly controlled direction of his magnificent forces, employing tempi that always feel appropriate. The sound quality is of a high standard as is the interesting and informative annotation. A valuable set of Haydn sacred music that is perfect for dipping in and out.

Sometimes art is so simple and relaxed it seems to come from a place of utter mastery and command. This superb Sviatoslav Richter recording is like this. The presentation is easeful; there’s nothing forced. Richter just plays the music. These sonatas are reasonably easy for a pianist of his caliber, so the technical polish is perfect, which he makes sound effortlessly achieved. And Richter’s love for these Josef Haydn sonatas shows clearly. It results in a disc that is easily the best set of Haydn piano music in my collection.

The English pianist Paul Lewis has been known for detailed, intelligent readings of Beethoven in which he follows his own creative dictates rather than established patterns laid down by others. Now he brings his approach to Haydn, who might seem less suited to it: Haydn's keyboard sonatas, though often delightful, generally haven't been thought of as manifesting the broad public ambitions of his symphonies and string quartets. Yet Lewis, as usual, brings considerable insight to these pieces, and his fans should lap this up. Sample the first movement of the Piano Sonata in C major, Hob. 16/50, for a representative slice: Whatever may be lost in the light humor of many readings is counterbalanced by Lewis' intricate tracings of the unusual second-degree-to-tonic resolution in the main theme and its ramifications throughout the movement.