CD of the Week | Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra: Haydn Symphonies
Grammy nominee. On sale now.
"Good period performances of late Haydn symphonies have been hard to come by. This disc ranks among the best."
-- James H. North, Fanfare Magazine.
San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has been dedicated to historically-informed performance of Baroque, Classical and early-Romantic music on original instruments since its inception in 1981. Under Music Director Nicholas McGegan, Philharmonia Baroque has been called “an ensemble for early music as fine as any in the world today” by Los Angeles Times critic Alan Rich.
Haydn was called the “father of the symphony”, and some of his greatest works in this form were composed for concerts he gave in London, including the three recorded live on this CD (#88, #101 "The Clock, and #104 "London").
The New York Times says “These are really fine performances…seldom have Haydn's elemental dynamic contrasts sounded so properly in proportion or so mercurial, with the 50 or so players able to play out lustily in fortes and pull back quickly to quieter modes, whether playful, subtle or mysterious…beautifully produced and engineered.”
This CD is one of five nominees in the "Best Orchestral Performance" category in the 54th annual Grammy awards, to be held February 12th. See below for a complete list of classical Grammy nominees.
CD of the Week | Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra: Haydn Symphonies
See previous CDs of the Week here.
Classical Grammy Nominees
Best Orchestral Performance
Haydn: Symphonies 88, 101 & 104 / McGegan, Philharmonia Baroque
Bowen: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 / Davis, BBC Philharmonic
Henze: Symphonies Nos. 3, 4 & 5 / Janowski, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
Martinu: The 6 Symphonies / Jiri Belohlavek, BBC Symphony Orchestra
Brahms: Symphony No. 4 / Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Best Opera Recording
Adams: Doctor Atomic / Gilbert, Finley, Cooke, Fink, Glenn, Metropolitan Opera
Britten: Billy Budd / Elder, Ainsley, Ens, Paterson, Imbrailo
Rautavaara: Kaivos / Lintu, Hynninen, Katajala, Tampere Philharmonic
Verdi: La Traviata / Pappano, Fleming, Calleja, Hampson, Wade
Vivaldi: Ercole / Biondi, Villazon, Damrau, Lehtipuu, Genaux
Best Choral Performance
Beyond All Mortal Dreams - American A Cappella / Layton, Trinity College Choir
Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45
The Natural World Of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen
Best Small Ensemble Performance
G. L. Frank: Hilos, Adagio Para Amantani, Quijotadas / Alias Chamber Ensemble
The Kingdoms Of Castille / Richard Savino, El Mundo
Mackey: Lonely Motel: Music From Slide / Eckert, Mackey, Eighth Blackbird
The Bay Brass: Sound The Bells!
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Chinese Recorder Concertos / Michala Petri, Lan Shui
Rachmaninov / Yuja Wang, Claudio Abbado, Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 3 & 4 / Andsnes
Joseph Schwantner: Chasing Light / Guerrero, Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Winging It: Piano Music Of John Corigliano / Oppens, Lowenthal
Best Classical Vocal Solo
Olav Anton Thommessen: Veslemoy Synsk
Cleopatra - Handel: Giulio Cesare Arias / Natalie Dessay
O Solitude - Purcell / Andreas Scholl, Accademia Bizantina
Three Baroque Tenors / Ian Bostridge
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
George Crumb: The Ghosts Of Alhambra
Jefferson Friedman: String Quartet No. 3
Steven Mackey: Lonely Motel - Music From Slide
Poul Ruders: Piano Concerto No. 2
