Haydn: Londoner Symphonien Nr. 96, 95, 93 [Hybrid SACD]

Founded in Germany in 1954, the Cappella Coloniensis has been playing aroque and lassical orchestral music on period instruments longer than any other group in the world, and its easy familiarity with the music and seemingly effortless virtuosity on the instruments is manifest on this 2009 release of the three of Haydn's "London" Symphonies. With the genial but driven Bruno Weil on the podium, the German musicians turn in performances of Haydn's Symphonies No. 93, No. 95, and No. 96 that have the tightness of Szell's Cleveland Orchestra, the power of Klemperer's Philharmonia, and the polish of Karajan's Berliner Philharmoniker, plus colors that none of these orchestras could produce. Weil chooses buoyant tempos and clean textures and favors quick, clear fast movements and expressive, but by no means sentimental, slow movements. Though Haydn devotees will no doubt already have their preferred performances of these popular works -- for modern instruments performances, any of the above mentioned three may top the list, while for period instrument performances, those by Adam Fischer and the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra are an obvious first choice -- anyone interested in the repertoire will surely find much to enjoy in Weil and the Cappella Coloniensis' performances, especially as captured in Ars Produktion's "you are there" super audio digital sound. ~ James Leonard, All Music Guide