There is no other set of Haydn overtures at this level of comprehensiveness, nor does there need to be. This one is sensational. The 22 pieces included here span Haydn’s entire career, from the early 1760s right up to the prelude to “Winter” from The Seasons (1801). In them we hear him move from the late-Baroque/early-Classical style to nascent Romanticism. It is the greatest stylistic evolution in the history of music because Haydn was not just a passive observer, but its prime mover. In addition to the overtures from all of the operas that survive, some of which wound up in the symphonies of the same period–most notably the one to La fedeltà premiata, which became the finale to “The Hunt” (La chasse) Symphony–you also get the introduction to The Seven Last Words and the overtures to the oratorios Il ritorno di Tobia and The Creation.
One of the things that makes Manfred Huss’ performances so desirable is that he is one of the very few conductors who doesn’t destroy ensemble balances by making the (unwritten) continuo part too prominent. The harpsichord gives a little extra rhythmic definition to the bass–but it doesn’t overwhelm the strings or winds or become an independent solo voice. The fortepiano is, correctly, almost entirely inaudible. I’m still not convinced that conducting “from the keyboard” required anything like as much participation as we routinely hear today, but if you’re going to do it at all then this is surely the right way. Bottom line: lively tempos, gutsy brass and timpani, perky winds, and stunning music make this former Koch release a huge two-for-the-price-of-one bargain on BIS.
