Haydn: ‘Paris’ Symphonies Nos 82-87; Violin Concerto No. 1*
*Théotime Langlois de Swarte (violin); Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Harmonia Mundi HAF8905371.72 120:06 mins (2 discs)
Haydn’s ‘Paris’ symphonies, composed in the mid-1780s, were originally played by a virtuoso orchestra that could potentially boast around 40 violins and ten double-basses. William Christie’s Les Arts Florissants, with about a quarter that number, is more than adequate to convey the grandeur and exuberance of these great pieces. Most recordings manage to accommodate all six symphonies on a pair of discs, but Christie is generous with his repeats (the long second-half repeat in the opening movement of No. 87 is surely de trop), and that presumably wouldn’t have been possible. It means that we have to do without the two most famous symphonies in the series, the ‘Bear’, No. 82 and the ‘Hen’, No. 83, but in their place Christie includes the much earlier Violin Concerto in C major – an attractive-enough piece, but by no means on a level with the symphonies. Théotime Langlois de Swarte plays (and conducts) it admirably, though his presto finale is a bit low on energy and lacks the required excitement.
Christie’s enthusiasm for the symphonies is never in doubt, but he can be curiously down to earth at times. The opening theme of the slow movement in No. 84, for instance, sounds ponderous, and the remarkable Capriccio (marked Largo) of No. 86 really needs more space in which to unfold in all its depth. The long bassoon cadenza inserted near the end of the trio in the minuet movement of No. 85 is surely misguided, though the briefer solo violin cadenzas injected into the finale of No. 86 are in even more questionable taste.
While there’s a good deal to enjoy here, it’s hard not to feel that Christie’s real talents lie in music for the theatre. Misha Donat
