EMBARKING ON A NEW JOURNEY EXPLORING HAYDN’S LONDON SYMPHONIES

They made recording history with their decade long project dedicated to Beethoven, followed by in-depth focuses on the orchestral music of Brahms and Schumann. Now after a four year exploration of Haydn’s London Symphonies, Paavo Järvi and The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen (DKAM) release their first Haydn album on RCA Red Seal, featuring Symphonies Nos 101 (“The Clock”) and 103 (“Drum Roll”).

The Haydn London Symphonies project began in 2019 and became a major DKAM focus during the pandemic, allowing the musicians to explore new repertoire in smaller formats. In the intervening years they have performed Haydn’s music with Paavo Järvi at home in Bremen, in residency at the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and Wien Konzerthaus and on tour across Europe, Japan and Korea.

Reviewing their first performances at the Elbphilharmonie in 2021 the Hamburger Abendblatt wrote “Haydn in particular has to be played as vividly as possible, and deliberately sometimes quite unconventionally so that the hidden wit of his symphonies comes to the fore. And Paavo Järvi, Artistic Director of the Kammerphilharmonie Bremen for almost two decades, and his orchestra are true masters at this.”

For Paavo Järvi, working with the musicians of DKAM is always special: “This is an orchestra that listens to itself and is prepared to dig deeply into all aspects of the music. And that’s especially important with Haydn as on the surface his music can often appear brilliant yet facile. But like Mozart and Beethoven, he is much more complex and nuanced. This requires the kind of teamwork that can only be found in a group that thinks and breathes like a chamber music ensemble.”

“Haydn deliberately plays with the expectations of his listeners, utilizing a huge array of techniques. Even some of his finales are intentionally constructed full of amusing and sly adventures if not just plain fun. With the Kammerphilharmonie it is one of our greatest joys to share in this amazing spirit. I hope when you hear our recording Haydn’s true greatness and genius will be readily apparent when you find yourself laughing with him.”

Volume 2 of the Haydn London Symphonies will be released on RCA Red Label in 2024, coinciding with celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Paavo Järvi’s tenure as Artistic Director of DKAM.