Haydn: The Seasons - London Symphony Orchestra, Davis

DSD recording, live at the Barbican 26–27 June 2010

In 2009 LSO Live released an acclaimed recording of Haydn’s Creation conducted by Sir Colin Davis. For his next release Sir Colin returns to the music of Haydn with a superb cast of young singers for his later oratorio The Seasons.

Following the success of Die Schöpfung (The Creation), which had swiftly gained popularity throughout Europe, Haydn’s librettist Baron Gottfried van Swieten suggested another project, based on James Thomson’s pastoral epic, The Seasons. One of Haydn’s last major works, Die Jahreszeiten depicts the yearly cycle of life in the countryside through the eyes of three peasants, providing us with music of thrilling vitality and creativity.

Sir Colin’s recent LSO Live releases have included Nielsen’s Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 (Editor’s Choice Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine Choice, Disc of the Month Hi-Fi News) and a disc featuring Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Symphony No 1.

CONCERT REVIEW:

“The sun had been shining all Sunday, but the LSO and Chorus had their own fount of light and life on hand; Colin Davis, injecting even more joy into Haydn’s last oratorio. It was happiness that above all characterised Davis’s ruddy-cheeked, rhythmically precise performance. In this monument to the Enlightenment, enlightenment began with the choice of soloists. Miah Persson, Jeremy Ovenden and Andrew Foster-Williams each had their own timbre, but stayed united in expressive clarity. The crowning glory was the London Symphony Chorus. With secure pitch, continuous glee and warmth they pounced upon everything that Haydn bequeathed” The Times