Search - Franz Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, Haydn-Ensemble Berlin :: F.J. & J.M. Haydn: Flute Concertos & Scherzandi

Wonderful Haydn in little-known & popular works!

Ted Fleischaker | Indianapolis | 01/12/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"EMI Classics was smart enough to give the Toronto radio station we enjoyed on our recent visit a demo copy of Haydn flute concerti and scherzandi featuring flute soloist Emmanuel Pahud with the Haydn-Ensemble Berlin under the able direction of Bernhard Hertog. This disc was one we were able to order from Amazon.com, and with their new classical service, and even with a blizzard thrown in, we received it in 10 days. The nearly 80-minute CD includes not just the flute concerto by the Haydn everyone knows (Franz Joseph) but a 17-minute concerto by his brother, Johann Michael. Both are wonderful works, as are the half-dozen Scherzandos which accompany them on the disc. By the way, a Scherzando is a little-known format of music which sounds somewhat like a mini-concerto or a miniature symphony. Each is almost painfully brief, with finales played rapid-fire and lasting for the most part under a minute! Pahud, who does an excellent job on the solo parts in all of the works, sadly doesn't even get two lines on the CD booklet. As for the disc, there IS none better and we'd recommend it not only for lovers of Baroque, but lovers of the Haydn family."