Colin Davis's Haydn

It looks like they didn't record them. I can't find them either.

Thanks Milo. Isn't it frustrasting?

Also there's another "mystery".

Does anyone know why Philips issued the Davis/Concertgebouw Haydn Syms. 95 & 96 on Dutch-pressed vinyl #6514 193 and the same artists' Haydn Syms. 95 & 97 on Dutch-pressed vinyl #6514 074 (- a close-together vinyl duplication of Sym. 95)? Would it have anything to do with the 95/97 sleeve referring to Davis as plain ".... Colin" and the 95/96 sleeve referring to ".... Sir Colin"?

Thanks and cheers again!

Kein' Musik ist ja nicht auf Erden,
die uns'rer vergleichen kann werden.

The Symphonies you mention are either part of the Six Paris Symphonies, 82 to 87, or fall into those he composed before the The London Symphonies, 93 to 104, numbers 88 to 92. If you do not know it, I would put in a special recomendation for number 88 in G, which is such a life enhancing work. There are any number of successful recordings of this from such as Bruno Walter [Columbia/Sony] as a prime recomendation, beside Fischer as mentioned below.

Though Davis was quite wonderful in Haydn's London Symphonies, as well as the Oxford, he is not the only conductor to have made a success of these works, and I would recomend you hunt down the sets which include the Paris and "in between" symphonies made by Nimbus, and performed by the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, a group of players from the Hungarian State Opera and Vinna State Opera [VPO] Orchetras for the annual Haydn Festival at Esterhaza conducted by Adam Fischer.

These are wonderful, fresh and lively performances, which capture both the inherent fun and occasional seriousness of the music.

They are among my favourite symphonic recordings.

Kindest regards from Fredrik

Two notes to follow up Fredrik. While the Nimbus recordings can still be had, they are quite pricey. However, the entire Fischer cycle is in a Brilliant Classics box for about £65 (alternatively there is cheaper box of the 'named' symphonies).

Fredrik mentions the wonderful 88. I shall put in a plug for Jochum who is, to these ears, an interpreter of these works without rival. His DG box of London symphonies comes with a 5th disc of earlier performances including a wonderful 88 from the Berlin Phil.

regards, Tam

I agree about the 88. This is actually available by Colin Davis and the RCO on Pentatone RQR - PTC5186126 (SACD)coupled with Haydn 99 and Beethoven 1.

This particular recording has just been recommended on Radio 3's Building a Library. Available from Presto Classical on offer at £10.79

Hope that helps.

Dear Responders!

Thanks for your attention and views. I'll stay in touch with this thread with ongoing interest.

Anyone have any comments about the Sym. #95 vinyl duplication (e.g., are they two different Davis/ACO performances)? I'm intrigued (just that, nothing more) about it.

P.S. It certainly looks like there are no 'Philips'/Davis/ACO recordings of Haydn's #84, #85, #89 or #90 though I've found a vinyl 'Oiseau-Lyre' disc (presumably nla in any format) of Davis/ECO playing #84 (the flip-side's an early Mozart Concertone in the K190's I believe -- I can give more details if anyone wants).

Sincerely.

Further thanks and cheers.

Kein' Musik ist ja nicht auf Erden,
die uns'rer vergleichen kann werden.