Abstract
An ambitious and exciting project is underway, called Haydn2032, which aims to perform and record all 107 of Haydn’s symphonies by the year 2032 to mark the 300th anniversary of his birth. The Joseph Haydn Stiftung was founded in Basel in 2013 to produce, in partnership with Alpha Classics, the first complete set of Haydn’s symphonies recorded on period instruments. The project follows three abandoned attempts by Derek Solomons with L’Estro Armonico (who recorded 44 symphonies for Saga and CBS in the early 1980s), Christopher Hogwood with the Academy of Ancient Music (who recorded 81 symphonies for Decca between 1983 and 1995) and Roy Goodman with The Hanover Band (who recorded 57 symphonies for Hyperion between 1990 and 1994). The recordings in Haydn2032 are being divided between ensembles Il Giardino Armonico and the Basel Chamber Orchestra under the artistic direction of Giovanni Antonini, but the division of orchestral labour is not the only difference between this and prior attempts. Rather than organize the projects by associations of time and place, Antonini has chosen to group the symphonies thematically and to place them within a wider musical context. Works by Haydn’s contemporaries, therefore, are also included within this already massive undertaking. In addition, the project involves a partnership with the Magnum Photos agency, whose photographers provide a series of images to augment visually each programme’s theme. These stunning images not only grace every album cover, but also appear interspersed between each disc’s ample and engaging liner notes. Though the albums are available on major streaming services, thoughtfully compiled and visually captivating CD booklets such as these make the thought of owning the complete set quite enticing indeed. The photographs, along with additional written and video content, can also be viewed on the Haydn2032 website. Seven discs have been released at the time of writing this review, which will address primarily the first, fourth and fifth volumes.
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