Haydn London Symphonies -- Your favorite set?

[jwinter]

Yes, another silly poll!   

I've been listening to a good bit of Haydn over the past few days, and I'm thinking I may want to add another London symphonies set to my horde.  What's your favorite set? 

I've listed only complete sets of 93-104 to keep things simple, so alas no Szell, Bohm, etc.  If I've missed one that you favor, give a shout & I'll add it to the list.

Feel free to pick two if you can't decide!   

[FideLeo]

Bruggen.

[jwinter]

Bruggen added to the list -- figured I'd miss an obvious one!   

[bhodges]

Harnoncourt and Davis are the only complete ones I've heard, and I like both.

--Bruce

[PerfectWagnerite]

I only have Davis, Jochum, Fischer, and Lenny/SONY and I wouldn't want to be without any of them. There is always Szell but incomplete. I am contemplating the Harnoncourt since Berkshire has it for $15.

[jwinter]

...I am contemplating the Harnoncourt since Berkshire has it for $15.

Oooo, that sounds tempting.  I have this on hold at my library, though I may have to pick it up for that price.  I wonder if it's the new slim-box set -- probably some bulkier previous incarnation?

I've been thinking that Jochum is probably my next purchase, though.  I have more than half of the sets listed in the poll already, but he keeps getting mentioned.  I've hesitated because I'm apparently one of six people on earth who doesn't really care for his Bruckner very much, although I love his Brahms and what little Beethoven I've heard.  Hmm...

[Harry]

Fischer/Kuijken/Dorati
That will do

[Todd]

Harnoncourt and Bernstein.  (Haven't heard the complete cycles from all the names mentioned, so I'm going based on what I have heard.)

[PerfectWagnerite]

Oooo, that sounds tempting.  I have this on hold at my library, though I may have to pick it up for that price.  I wonder if it's the new slim-box set -- probably some bulkier previous incarnation?

Not sure, they just had it the past month or so. I would order it but there isn't enough stuff from BRO that I want to justify paying $6 or $7 for shipping.

Quite a few people don't care for the Jochum/Haydn set. Some say the sound is bad some complain the playing is iffy. I really like it for the energy. I think there is a Goodman/Hanover Band set out there somewhere but I am not sure whether it is complete.

[Operahaven]

Yes, another silly poll!   

I've been listening to a good bit of Haydn over the past few days, and I'm thinking I may want to add another London symphonies set to my horde.  What's your favorite set? 

I've listed only complete sets of 93-104 to keep things simple, so alas no Szell, Bohm, etc.  If I've missed one that you favor, give a shout & I'll add it to the list.

Feel free to pick two if you can't decide!   

Hi Jwinter,

Stick with the best:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B00000E4HE/sr=1-6/qid=1199307202/ref=dp_image_0/105-0393719-6982021?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music&qid=1199307202&sr=1-6

Cheers.

[Josquin des Prez]

Did Bernstein record more then one set? The one i have is absolutely dreadful, quite unlike his recording of the Paris symphonies, which is stellar.

[jwinter]

Harnoncourt and Bernstein.  (Haven't heard the complete cycles from all the names mentioned, so I'm going based on what I have heard.)

Totally agree on the Bernstein -- that and Beecham are probably my current faves, although the sound on both is somewhat dated.  Haven't heard the Harnoncourt yet, but hope to correct that soon.

Did Bernstein record more then one set? The one i have is absolutely dreadful, quite unlike his recording of the Paris symphonies, which is stellar.

He only recorded one complete set that I know of, with New York (which is what I have). He re-recorded several of them later in Vienna, but not the whole set.   I haven't heard his Paris set -- I'd like to, but it's kind of OOP and pricey at the moment...

[jwinter]

Hi Jwinter,

Stick with the best:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B00000E4HE/sr=1-6/qid=1199307202/ref=dp_image_0/105-0393719-6982021?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music&qid=1199307202&sr=1-6

Cheers.

Hi Pink, glad to see you back.  I haven't heard Karajan in Haydn (other than The Creation, which is awesome -- that orchestral into is marvelous!).  I have enjoyed his Mozart and Bach, though, so I might give that a try if I come across it. 

[val]

My preferred is Jochum with the LPO.

Then Bernstein.

But we must not forget some other great interpretations: Szell in the 92, 93, 95,97 and 98, Toscanini in the 94, Marriner in the 96, the Prague Chamber orchestra in the 103 and Rosbaud in the 104.

Harnoncourt seems too artificial, but his version of the 100 is powerful and very impressive.

[jwinter]

...I haven't heard his [Bernstein's] Paris set -- I'd like to, but it's kind of OOP and pricey at the moment...

And lo, upon writing these words, the very next day (today) I walked into a used CD shop and picked up the set for 10 bucks.  Life is good

Hold on, I may be onto something here.  Let's test this:

Golly, I never seem to find $10,000 sitting on my doorstep in the morning.  I've heard of it happening to other people, but never me.  Ah well.

Harnoncourt seems too artificial, but his version of the 100 is powerful and very impressive.

I seem to be liking 100 more and more.  What are folks recommendations for this particular symphony?

[val]

jwinter

I seem to be liking 100 more and more.  What are folks recommendations for this particular symphony?

Harnoncourt with the Concertgebow is good, powerful.

Jochum with the LPO shows more dynamic and imagination.

Beecham with the RPO has here perhaps the best moment of his set.

[alkan]

I seem to be liking 100 more and more.  What are folks recommendations for this particular symphony?

I second Val's recommendation for Harnoncourt.     Excellent sound as well as a dramatic interpretation.

[jwinter]

Well, I was going to start a new thread, but a quick search shows that I started this one 11 years ago, so what the hey... 


While I do own several sets of the London Symphonies at this point, none of them are HIP.  I've been enjoying Pinnock's Haydn Sturm und Drang set, plus Kujiken, Fey, and Goodman in some of the other symphonies, but all of my recordings of 92 and up are currently old-school -- my favorite set at the moment is probably Eugen Jochum, but ask me again on Tuesday 


What would be your recommendation for an HIP set of the London Symphonies? A nice cheap box would be preferable, but I'd appreciate any and all wisdom and guidance.


I'd also welcome modern instrument recommendations, if anything truly outstanding has emerged in the last decade or so, or if you have the urge to discuss an old favorite...


Cheers!

[Jo498]

For some reason I have heard fewer HIP recordings of the London set than of many others, the only complete HIP one I own is Brüggen's as Harnoncourt's is with the Concertgebouw (and regardless of instruments, I think his Concentus Haydn symphonies are better, I recommend all of them highly).
Brüggen is live and the sound is not always the best but overall it is recommendable. I dislike a few details, some of which might seem trivial nitpickings to many listeners. E.g. the drum roll is distant and because of hard sticks rather unmysterious, Brüggen also conducts an alternative version of the finale with a longer coda which should count as a plus if one has no other recording of this version. I find the tempo shifts in the finale of 98 ridiculously overdone (but others love it). And IIRC some tempi are odd (too slow first movement of 93, I think)
Kuijken is very good in 103/104 but that's the only one of his I have.
Not sure about more recent ones as I seriously cut back on Haydn (at least on the late symphonies) already by the last anniversary in 2009. Minkowski has some ridiculous gimmicks that would rule it out for me as a first HIP version (I don't own it).

[jwinter]

Thanks for the response!    Bruggen had definitely been on my radar... he's featured a lot in this interesting documentary on Haydn which I watched last month (it's currently streaming on Amazon Prime -- it's actually very good, containing interviews and performances from a lot of different musicians and historians.  It gives a nice overview)...