GREAT CLASSICAL SYMPHONIES (10-CD Box Set)

The word ‘symphony’ is used to describe an extended orchestral composition in Western classical music. By the eighteenth century the Italianate opera sinfonia—musical interludes between operas or concertos—had assumed the structure of three contrasting movements, and it is this form that is often considered as the direct forerunner of the orchestral symphony. With the rise of established professional orchestras, the symphony assumed a more prominent place in concert life between 1790 and 1820 until it eventually came to be regarded by many as the yardstick by which one would measure a composer’s achievement.

Without doubt, the most important symphonists of the latter part of the eighteenth century are Haydn and Mozart. Often credited with expanding the symphonic form to the four movements we are familiar with today, these two composers are together responsible for over 160 symphonies including those commonly regarded as the apex of the Classical symphonic form—Haydn’s London symphonies and Mozart’s Jupiter and Linz. A few years later, Beethoven dramatically expanded the symphony, in so doing forming the bridge between the Classical and Romantic eras. His Eroica symphony has a scale and emotional range that sets it apart from earlier works, while his Symphony No 5 is arguably the most famous symphony ever written.


Disc 1

Haydn, Franz Joseph
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor, Hob.I:45, "Farewell"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Allegro assai 00:05:41
2.   		II. Adagio 00:07:39
3.   		III. Menuetto: Allegretto 00:03:52
4.   		IV. Finale: Presto - Adagio 00:08:05
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob.I:88
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Adagio - Allegro 00:06:40
6.   		II. Largo 00:05:34
7.   		III. Menuetto: Allegretto 00:04:13
8.   		IV. Finale: Allegro con spirito 00:03:52
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 92 in G major, Hob.I:92, "Oxford"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
9.   		I. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso 00:07:34
10.   		II. Adagio 00:08:13
11.   		III. Menuetto: Allegro 00:05:41
12.   		IV. Presto 00:06:03


Disc 2

Haydn, Franz Joseph
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 94 in G major, Hob.I:94, "The Surprise"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Adagio: Vivace assai 00:08:45
2.   		II. Andante 00:05:33
3.   		III. Menuet: Allegro molto 00:05:03
4.   		IV. Allegro molto 00:04:18
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 100 in G major, Hob.I:100, "Military"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Adagio - Allegro 00:07:51
6.   		II. Allegretto 00:06:18
7.   		III. Menuet: Moderato 00:05:11
8.   		IV. Finale: Presto 00:05:31
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 101 in D major, Hob.I:101, "The Clock"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
9.   		I. Adagio - Presto 00:08:07
10.   		II. Andante 00:07:51
11.   		III. Menuet: Allegretto 00:07:55
12.   		IV. Finale: Vivace 00:04:43


Disc 3

Haydn, Franz Joseph
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 95 in C minor, Hob.I:95
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia
Drahos, Bela, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Allegro moderato 00:06:18
2.   		II. Andante cantabile 00:04:38
3.   		III. Menuet 00:04:51
4.   		IV. Finale: Vivace 00:03:48
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 103 in E flat major, Hob.I:103, "Drumroll"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Adagio - Allegro con spirito 00:09:15
6.   		II. Andante 00:07:56
7.   		III. Menuetto: Allegro 00:04:45
8.   		IV. Allegro con spirito 00:06:01
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 104 in D major, Hob.I:104, "London"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
9.   		I. Adagio - Allegro 00:08:22
10.   		II. Andante 00:09:29
11.   		III. Menuet - Trio 00:05:26
12.   		IV. Finale: Spiritoso 00:06:53


Disc 4

Haydn, Franz Joseph
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 96 in D major, Hob.I:96, "The Miracle"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Adagio - Allegro 00:06:34
2.   		II. Andante 00:05:06
3.   		III. Menuetto: Allegretto 00:05:01
4.   		IV. Finale: Vivace assai 00:03:40
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 98 in B flat major, Hob.I:98
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia
Drahos, Bela, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Adagio - Allegro 00:08:22
6.   		II. Adagio 00:06:53
7.   		III. Menuet: Allegro 00:06:08
8.   		IV. Finale: Presto 00:09:17
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 102 in B flat major, Hob.I:102
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
9.   		I. Largo - Allegro vivace 00:08:54
10.   		II. Adagio 00:05:41
11.   		III. Menuetto: Allegro 00:06:36
12.   		IV. Finale: Presto 00:05:06


Disc 5

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Allegro con brio 00:07:42
2.   		II. Andante 00:03:49
3.   		III. Menuetto 00:03:28
4.   		IV. Allegro 00:05:13
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385, "Haffner"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Allegro con spirito 00:05:34
6.   		II. Andante 00:04:29
7.   		III. Menuetto - Trio 00:03:00
8.   		IV. Finale: Presto 00:03:57
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551, "Jupiter"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
9.   		I. Allegro vivace 00:11:22
10.   		II. Andante cantabile 00:11:24
11.   		III. Menuetto: Allegretto 00:04:45
12.   		IV. Molto allegro 00:09:29


Disc 6

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504, "Prague"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Adagio - Allegro 00:13:23
2.   		II. Andante 00:08:40
3.   		III. Finale: Presto 00:06:18
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
4.   		I. Adagio - Allegro 00:10:56
5.   		II. Andante con moto 00:07:12
6.   		III. Menuetto: Allegretto 00:03:58
7.   		IV. Finale: Allegro 00:04:14
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
8.   		I. Allegro molto 00:07:31
9.   		II. Andante 00:07:45
10.   		III. Menuetto: Allegretto 00:04:38
11.   		IV. Allegro assai 00:05:06


Disc 7

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Allegro moderato 00:07:31
2.   		II. Andante 00:08:58
3.   		III. Menuetto 00:03:02
4.   		IV. Allegro con spirito 00:04:53
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 34 in C major, K. 338
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Allegro vivace 00:07:50
6.   		II. Andante di molto 00:06:59
7.   		III. Allegro molto 00:04:14
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 36 in C major, K. 425, "Linz"
Capella Istropolitana
Wordsworth, Barry, Conductor
 
8.   		I. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso 00:10:44
9.   		II. Poco adagio 00:06:58
10.   		III. Menuetto 00:03:35
11.   		IV. Presto 00:08:11


Disc 8

Beethoven, Ludwig van
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55, "Eroica"
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia
Drahos, Bela, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Allegro con brio 00:16:58
2.   		II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai 00:12:52
3.   		III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace 00:05:53
4.   		IV. Finale: Allegro molto 00:11:35
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia
Drahos, Bela, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Allegro vivace e con brio 00:09:17
6.   		II. Allegretto scherzando 00:03:50
7.   		III. Tempo di menuetto 00:05:51
8.   		IV. Allegro vivace 00:07:44


Disc 9

Beethoven, Ludwig van
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia
Drahos, Bela, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Allegro con brio 00:07:15
2.   		II. Andante con moto 00:09:21
3.   		III. Allegro 00:08:33
4.   		IV. Allegro 00:10:41
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral"
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia
Drahos, Bela, Conductor
 
5.   		I. Pleasant, cheerful feelings aroused on approaching the countryside: Allegro ma non troppo 00:11:06
6.   		II. Scene by the brook: Andante molto mosso 00:12:05
7.   		III. Happy gathering of villagers: Allegro 00:04:59
8.   		IV. Thunder - storm: Allegro 00:03:54
9.   		V. Shepherd's song. Grateful thanks to the Almighty after the storm: Allegretto 00:09:53


Disc 10

Beethoven, Ludwig van
Schiller, Friedrich von, lyricist(s)
[Hide Details]   Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, 'Choral'
Papian, Hasmik, soprano
Donose, Ruxandra, mezzo-soprano
Fink, Manfred, tenor
Otelli, Claudio, bass-baritone
Nicolaus Esterhazy Chorus
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia
Drahos, Bela, Conductor
 
1.   		I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 00:14:44
2.   		II. Molto vivace 00:13:46
3.   		III. Adagio molto e cantabile - Andante moderato 00:13:05
4.   		IV. Finale: Presto 00:23:19
		
Total Playing Time: 12:28:42