BaL 1.05.21 - Haydn: Symphony no. 92 "Oxford"

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30am
Building a Library
Richard Wigmore joins Andrew to discuss different recordings of Haydn’s Symphony No 92, ‘Oxford’.

Haydn supposedly conducted the symphony at the end of a ceremony in 1791, conferring on him the degree of Doctor of Music by Oxford University. In fact, the symphony had been written two years earlier for performance in Paris. His trip to Oxford symbolises the international success Haydn attained in his late fifties. And this symphony is full of all the wit, energy and joy of life that flows out of his greatest works.

Available versions:-

Finnish Chamber Orchestra, Paavo Berglund *
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein (DVD/Blu-ray)
Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm *
Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Brüggen
Münchner Philharmoniker, Sergiu Celibidache
Kammerorchester, Dennis Russell Davies *
Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Sir Colin Davis
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis (SACD)
Philharmonia Hungarica, Antal Dorati *
Heidelberger Sinfoniker, Thomas Fey
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, Adam Fischer (SACD etc.)
Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Max Goberman *
Hanover Band, Roy Goodman *
English Sinfonia, Sir Charles Groves
Concentus Musicus Wien, Nikolaus Harnoncourt (DVD)
Freiburger Barockorchester, René Jacobs *
Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer *
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
London Symphony Orchestra, Josef Krips *
Cappella Coloniensis, Ferdinand Leitner
Hungarian State Orchestra, Ervin Lukacs *
Estonian State Symphony Orchestra, Peter Liyle *
Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Ernst Märzendorfer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner *
Bayerisches Kammerorchester Bad Brückenau, Johannes Moesus *
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic *
Wiener Philharmoniker, Andre Previn *
Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle *
Berliner Philharmoniker, Hans Rosbaud
Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Hermann Scherchen *
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
NWDR Sinfonieorchester, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt *
Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell *
Orchestre National de France, George Szell *
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
London Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Walter
Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, Bruno Walter *
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, Günter Wand
West German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Günter Wand *
Capella Istropolitana, Barry Wordsworth

(* = download only)

[verismissimo]

Additional to Alpie's fine list: La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken.

A favourite!

[Pulcinella]

I'm sure that Alpie will not have done his own pruning to create a shortlist, so I'm a bit surprised at how few (available) recordings of this symphony there seem to be.
Not only that, but there are relatively few orchestras and conductors in the list; I wonder why.

English Sinfonia under Charles Groves here, in an early incarnation coupled only with Symphony 104 (it's now on alto, with Mozart's Symphony 31 added: Oxford, London and Paris!).
The 2009 Penguin Guide gave it three stars (it was on the Regis label at that point), calling it robust yet elegant. The review goes on to say: In the last movement of the Oxford the dancing violins are a special delight in what is one of the composer's most infectious finales.
I wonder if it will considered to be in the running.

[cloughie]

I'm sure that Alpie will not have done his own pruning to create a shortlist, so I'm a bit surprised at how few (available) recordings of this symphony there seem to be.
Not only that, but there are relatively few orchestras and conductors in the list; I wonder why.

English Sinfonia under Charles Groves here, in an early incarnation coupled only with Symphony 104 (it's now on alto, with Mozart's Symphony 31 added: Oxford, London and Paris!).
The 2009 Penguin Guide gave it three stars (it was on the Regis label at that point), calling it robust yet elegant. The review goes on to say: In the last movement of the Oxford the dancing violins are a special delight in what is one of the composer's most infectious finales.
I wonder if it will considered to be in the running.

Groves 92/104 is a favourite recording of mine - no doubt it will not come near BaL’s radar - a HIPP will probably prevail!

[BBMmk2]

I just have the one, here, LSO, Colin Davis. Pity Abbado didn’t record all the London Symphonies.

[Pulcinella]

I just have the one, here, LSO, Colin Davis. Pity Abbado didn’t record all the London Symphonies.

Even if he had, BBM, number 92 (Oxford) would not have been included; the term 'London symphonies' applies to the 12 symphonies 93–104.

[cloughie]

Even if he had, BBM, number 92 (Oxford) would not have been included; the term 'London symphonies' applies to the 12 symphonies 93–104.

The message is in the name!

[LMcD]

Groves 92/104 is a favourite recording of mine - no doubt it will not come near BaL’s radar - a HIPP will probably prevail!

...and of mine. Mozart's 'Paris' symphony is a valuable bonus.

[richardfinegold]

I just have the one, here, LSO, Colin Davis. Pity Abbado didn’t record all the London Symphonies.

I second the Abbado lament

[Darloboy]

This symphony has quite possibly never been covered by BaL before.

[jayne lee wilson]

I'm sure that Alpie will not have done his own pruning to create a shortlist, so I'm a bit surprised at how few (available) recordings of this symphony there seem to be.
Not only that, but there are relatively few orchestras and conductors in the list; I wonder why.

English Sinfonia under Charles Groves here, in an early incarnation coupled only with Symphony 104 (it's now on alto, with Mozart's Symphony 31 added: Oxford, London and Paris!).
The 2009 Penguin Guide gave it three stars (it was on the Regis label at that point), calling it robust yet elegant. The review goes on to say: In the last movement of the Oxford the dancing violins are a special delight in what is one of the composer's most infectious finales.
I wonder if it will considered to be in the running.

Probably because it falls between the oftrecorded very familiar (and thereby popular) Paris and London sets, But it was very well done by Scherchen in the 50s (HIPPs avant la lettre perhaps, though vitally individual); and various later readings from Kuijken (as aforementioned here by veris), Bruggen, Harnoncourt, Jacobs and others, so there is much choice in interpretive shades......

78-81 are another such marginalised group, often ignored but among Haydn's best and most inspired, innovative creations....

[Darloboy]

Groves 92/104 is a favourite recording of mine - no doubt it will not come near BaL’s radar - a HIPP will probably prevail!

It's Richard Wigmore. He's made Colin Davis/Concertgebouw his first choice when he was the reviewer for Symphonies 88, 103 and 104. When he's gone for a period performance as his first choice, he's always named a modern instruments choice as well - Dorati for the Paris Symphonies and Davis/Concertgebouw for No. 99.

Given that there's less competition for the Oxford Symphony than for the London and Paris Symphonies, I wouldn't be surprised if Davis/Concertgebouw is first choice again.

[jayne lee wilson]

It's Richard Wigmore. He's made Colin Davis/Concertgebouw his first choice when he was the reviewer for Symphonies 88, 103 and 104. When he's gone for a period performance as his first choice, he's always named a modern instruments choice as well - Dorati for the Paris Symphonies and Davis/Concertgebouw for No. 99.

Given that there's less competition for the Oxford Symphony than for the London and Paris Symphonies, I wouldn't be surprised if Davis/Concertgebouw is first choice again.

Excellent Gramophone writer who really knows his Haydn and the Catalogue......

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/haydn-the-poor-man-s-mozart

.....offers a choice (doubtless provisional) for No.92 at the end...

[MickyD]

I've never heard the Hanover Band/Goodman version - I recall that Goodman was rather fond of harpsichord or fortepiano continuo in his Haydn. Sad that this was another cycle that never got completed.

[Pulcinella]

I've never heard the Hanover Band/Goodman version - I recall that Goodman was rather fond of harpsichord or fortepiano continuo in his Haydn. Sad that this was another cycle that never got completed.

The liner notes in the recording I have say that it was performed in the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford when Haydn travelled there to receive an honorary doctorate of music (which I knew), but that it was directed from the organ by Haydn himself (which I didn't!).
Given the position of the organ in the Sheldonian, I assume that a little chamber organ would have been used instead of Haydn having his back to the orchestra (or was the organ installed in its current position later?).