Dunedin Consort: Haydn Symphonies
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (New Auditorium) - 11/02/23
On the night of Saturday 11th February, the New Auditorium in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall was the venue for the second of three outings of a programme featuring a trilogy of early Haydn symphonies and a cello concerto by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, a basket of Rococo goodies presented by the Dunedin Consort directed from the harpsichord by Irish historically-informed performance expert Peter Whelan. The Haydn symphonies, Nos. 6. 7 and 8, which later picked up the respective nicknames “Le matin”, “Le midi” and “Le soir”, date from Haydn’s first year as Kapellmeister at the Esterházy court, and reveal a composer, finding an ensemble of fine musicians at his disposal, experimenting with transcending the conventions of the Baroque concerto grosso and spearheading the development of a new 4-movement musical form. Virtuoso solo passages and ripieni commentary still appear, but the works are nonetheless entirely recognisable as classical symphonies.
The (fully period) instrumentation for Haydn’s 6th Symphony comprised 4 each of first and second violins, 2 each of violas and cellos, 1 double bass, 1 flute, 2 oboes, 1 bassoon and 2 valveless horns, held in a vertical plane with bells uppermost. Apart from the cellists, who were seated, all players played from a standing position. The piece has had recent popularity on Radio 3, so I found it very familiar. An Adagio depiction of dawn gives way to a buoyant 3/4 D-major Allegro with some nice solos from flute (Georgia Browne) and oboe (Alexandra Bellamy). The intro to the Andante slow movement, said to parody a music lesson, starts with the leader (Matthew Truscott) emphatically playing a model G-major scale Adagio, copied erratically by the ’pupils’: Haydn already displaying his endearing waggishness. The third movement, minuet and trio form already locked and loaded, features more solos, in particular in the charming D-minor trio, where bassoon (Joe Qiu), double bass (Christine Sticher) and viola (John Crockatt) were agile and expressive over (and under) a pizzicato accompaniment. The finale, a scurrying concertante Allegro, featured great virtuoso playing from principal flute and leader again, and a super sound from those horns. A delightful piece of early Haydn and a great concert-opener.
For C.P.E. Bach’s 1753 Cello Concerto in A major, the winds and horns left the stage and the principal cellist (Jonathan Manson) moved slightly forward. All tuned afresh. Indeed, I was particularly impressed with the care and attention given to tuning throughout the evening, here to match the harpsichord and Peter Whelan’s elegant arpeggiation, a delightful sound and, I regret to say, the only opportunity to hear the instrument properly, as it was almost always swamped by the tutti sound whenever it was played during the pieces. The harpsichord itself was tuned during the interval.
Throughout the Bach and when not playing solo, Jonathan also covered the orchestral part. The two outer movements are agile, virtuosic and characterful and received the very finest chamber music playing from soloist and ensemble alike. I am certain I have heard the finale before. But the extraordinary slow movement was a revelation to me. Marked Largo and played muted throughout, it is darkly solemn and melancholic, with dramatic chromaticism and daring harmonies, the solo instrument entering voiced high in its register in an achingly beautiful melody. The sensitive interplay between soloist and ensemble was exquisitely pointed, with a lovely sense of ebb and flow, and exemplified chamber music playing at its very finest. There was even a sombre cadenza. I am resolved to get a recording of this amazing piece. Delightful though the rest of the concert was, the Largo of the Bach was by far the highlight for me.
Haydn’s 7th Symphony followed after the interval. It is scored similarly to No. 6, but with an additional flute. The slow march-like introduction has a very full sound with those lovely horns prominent; the scurrying Allegro starts more quietly. The dramatic slow movement opens with an operatic recitative on solo violin, giving way to a sweet solo violin ariosa melody, with the two flutes in ornate harmony obbligato (Haydn evidently exploring what can be achieved with a pair of flutes). A violin and cello duet cadenza concludes the movement. The other winds are back in for the minuet, while another spectacular double bass solo features in its slower trio. The Allegro finale is another joyful scurrying Haydn dash.
For the final work of the programme, the 8th Symphony, we lost the second flute and the ensemble retuned. The sonata-form Allegro molto is a brisk and witty 3/8 jig, with a general pause before the coda. In the Andante, Haydn reverts to concert grosso format with two solo violins and cello acting as soli. Yet another virtuoso double bass solo graces the trio of the minuet. The finale, ‘La tempesta’, is indeed stormy, yet festive, and concludes in typically Haydnesque high spirits with joyous whoops from the horns.
This was a great evening of fine chamber interpretation and performance and a chance to hear some lesser-programmed Rococo goodies (and, for some, an evening of discovery). The Dunedin Consort doing what they do best – full marks from me.