Haydn's London Symphony
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Symphony No.85 in B flat, “La Reine”
Adagio, Vivace – Romance: Allegretto – Menuetto: Allegretto – Finale: Presto
At the end of 1784, the Concert de la Loge Olympique in Paris – a society of music-loving Freemasons – commissioned Haydn to write six symphonies. They offered Haydn 25 louis d’or for each symphony (five times the fee they’d paid his young friend Mozart a few years earlier). Haydn couldn’t leave Hungary; in fact, he would never set foot in Paris. But with the opportunity to write for one of the biggest and best ensembles in Europe, and thrilled by this evidence of foreign interest in his music, he excelled himself.
This symphony, “La Reine de France”, received its nickname after becoming a special favourite of Queen Marie Antoinette, and it begins in grand style, with a slow introduction in the ceremonial rhythms of a French overture. The second movement is a Romance, modelled on a type of stately, sentimental song popular in French drawing-rooms in the 1780s. According to one source, the Paris audience responded with a spontaneous gasp of delight. But the symphony’s delights don’t end (or for that matter, start) there. The stately Menuetto lightens its dignified manners with a little skipping figure, and the finale is Haydn at his comic best – giving playful asides to the orchestra’s excellent woodwind players as the symphony bustles joyfully to its close.
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Piano Concerto No.11 in D, Hob. VIII:11
Vivace – Un poco adagio – Rondo all’ungarese
Like most professional 18th century composers, Haydn was a jack of all trades, and a master of many. “I was a wizard at no instrument but I knew the strengths and workings of all” he told his biographer Georg Griesinger, in old age, adding that “I was not a bad keyboard player or singer”. Certainly, when he performed briefly in Salomon’s orchestral concerts in London in the 1790s, audiences were delighted to see him at the keyboard – enthusing over the clarity and animation of his playing.
But he wrote relatively few keyboard concertos, and none later than 1783 – possibly because Haydn (an intensely modest, as well as generous, man) preferred to leave the field to his young friend Mozart. This was the last, composed while he was in service at the court of the Esterhazy princes, though in his own lifetime it was published (and by all accounts, popular) across Europe. As well it might be, with its sparkling dialogue between orchestra and soloist, the elegant tenderness of its slow movement, and – best of all – its zingy finale in the style of the Hungarian folk music that surrounded Haydn every day. This sparkling Rondo is based (appropriately enough) on the headlong rhythm of the Croatian kolo, or round dance.
Joseph Martin Kraus (1756-1792)
Olympie – overture
When King Gustav III of Sweden dies at the end of Verdi’s opera Un Ballo in Maschera, the music is Verdi at his tragic height. In reality, the music that accompanied the murdered king’s funeral was by his own court composer, the German-born Joseph Martin Kraus, who had trained in Mannheim, wrote a Requiem at the age of 19 and toured Europe, befriending Mozart, Gluck and Haydn in the process. He spent much of his career in Stockholm, where he was dubbed “the Swedish Mozart”. (His lifespan, tragically, matches Mozart’s almost year for year).
Kraus was a highly original and thoroughly modern composer. On the surface, the play Olympie by Kraus’s friend and sometime collaborator, the Swedish playwright Johan Kellgren, is a classical tragedy of a princess forced to choose between love and duty. But this was an age of high emotion, and for the play’s premiere in Stockholm in January 1792 Kraus composed an overture that bristles with the dark, impassioned energy that contemporaries called “sturm und drang” (Storm and Stress). “Believe me”, commented Haydn to a mutual friend upon hearing Kraus’s music, “there are few people who can compose something like that.”
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Symphony No.104 in D major ‘London’
Adagio, Allegro moderato – Andante – Menuet: Allegro – Finale: Spiritoso
Haydn wrote twelve symphonies for the London impresario Johann Salomon, and there’s no specific reason why this one should be the “London Symphony”. Yet Haydn himself appeared to sense something special about it; unusually, he wrote on the score “The 12th which I have composed in England”. If we wanted to choose one work to sum up the whole, astonishing achievement of Haydn’s London period, there’s none better than the last symphony he ever wrote, in the spring of 1795.
And no question, the 63-year-old composer had surpassed himself. Haydn had begun all but one of his London symphonies with arresting introductions, but none had been as imposing as the solemn fanfare that opens No.104. The tender courtesies that open the second movement won’t have surprised too many of Haydn’s devotees – but what about the dark, minor-key interlude that tears through its heart? The big Menuet throws itself forward with the verve of a Beethoven scherzo. And the finale – well, musicologists have discovered that the swinging first theme sounds very like a Croatian folk-song, though at least one London audience member was sure it was a London street-cry (either “Hot Cross Buns” or “Live Cod”). Take your pick; the music is magnificent either way.
Giovanni Antonini
Born in Milan, Giovanni Antonini studied at the Civica Scuola di Musica and at the Centre de Musique Ancienne in Geneva. He is a founder member of the Baroque ensemble Il Giardino Armonico, which he has led since 1989. With this ensemble he has appeared as conductor and soloist on the recorder and Baroque transverse flute in Europe, United States, Canada, South America, Australia, Japan and Malaysia.
He has performed with many prestigious artists including Cecilia Bartoli, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Giuliano Carmignola, Isabelle Faust, Sol Gabetta, Sumi Jo, Viktoria Mullova, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Emmanuel Pahud and Giovanni Sollima. Renowned for his refined and innovative interpretation of the classical and baroque repertoire, Giovanni Antonini is also a regular guest with Berliner Philharmoniker, Concertgebouworkest, Tonhalle Orchester, Mozarteum Orchester, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, London Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
His opera productions have included Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto and Bellini’s Norma with Cecilia Bartoli at Salzburg Festival. In 2018 he conducted Orlando at Theater an der Wien and returned to Opernhaus Zurich for Idomeneo. In 2019 he conducted Guilio Cesare for La Scala, and returned there in 2021 for Così fan tutte and 2024 for L’Orontea. He also returned to Theater an der Wien in 2021 with Cavalieri’s Rappresentatione di Anima, et di Corpo. In the 2025/26 season, he conducts Le Nozze di Figaro at Liceu Barcelona and Pugnani’s Werther with Mozarteumorchester. He works with Luzerner SInfonieorchester, Oslo Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and returns to Bamberg Symphoniker and for two projects with the Czech Philharmonic alongside the Czech Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. Il Giardino Armonico are Ensemble in Residence at Wigmore Hall London with regular appearances throughout the season.
With Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini has recorded numerous CDs of instrumental works by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach (Brandenburg Concertos), Biber and Locke for Teldec. With Naïve he recorded Vivaldi’s opera Ottone in Villa, and for Decca he has recorded 2 volumes with Julia Lezhneva. With Alpha Classics (Outhere Music Group) he released various albums including La Morte della Ragione; exploring his interest in renaissance music through collections of sixteenth and seventeenth century instrumental music. With Kammerorchester Basel he has recorded the complete Beethoven Symphonies for Sony Classical and a disc of flute concertos with Emmanuel Pahud entitled Revolution for Warner Classics.
Giovanni Antonini is Artistic Director of the Haydn2032 project, created to realise a vision to record and perform with Il Giardino Armonico and Kammerorchester Basel the complete symphonies of Joseph Haydn by the 300th anniversary of the composer’s birth. A little over half way through the venture, the first 17 volumes have been released on the Alpha Classics label.
Kristian Bezuidenhout
Kristian Bezuidenhout has established himself as one of the most versatile and exciting musicians of our time, both as a keyboard player and conductor. Born in South Africa in 1979, he began his studies in Australia, completed them at the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY), and now lives in London. After initial training as a modern pianist with Rebecca Penneys, he explored early keyboards, studying harpsichord with Arthur Haas, fortepiano with Malcolm Bilson, and continuo playing and performance practice with Paul O’Dette. Kristian first gained international recognition at the age of 21 after winning the prestigious first prize and audience prize in the Bruges Fortepiano Competition.
Kristian is a regular guest soloist on fortepiano, harpsichord, modern piano with the world’s leading ensembles including Freiburger Barockorchester, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Mozarteum Orchester, Camerata Salzburg, Orchestre des Champs Elysées, Les Arts Florissants, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Chicago Symphony Orchestra & the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He has performed with celebrated artists including John Eliot Gardiner, Philippe Herreweghe, Bernhard Haitink, Daniel Harding, Frans Brüggen, Trevor Pinnock, Giovanni Antonini, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Isabelle Faust, Alina Ibragimova, Rachel Podger, Carolyn Sampson, Anne Sofie von Otter, Mark Padmore & Matthias Goerne.
In addition to his work as a soloist, he is increasingly in demand as a conductor, and continues explore the music of the late 17th and early 18th Centuries with groups including the English Concert (Handel Chandos Anthems, Purcell Odes, Bach St. John Passion), Tafelmusik, Collegium Vocale, Juilliard 415, Kammerakademie Potsdam & Dunedin Consort (Bach St Matthew Passion). Kristian is Principal Guest Director of both Freiburger Barockorchester and English Concert.
Kristian’s rich and award-winning discography of over 30 albums – mostly for Harmonia Mundi – includes the complete keyboard music of Mozart (Diapason d’Or de l’Année, Jahrespreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, & Caecilia Prize); Schubert Die schöne Müllerin with Julian Prégardien; the complete Piano Concertos of Beethoven with the Freiburger Barockorchester; an ongoing cycle of the complete Mozart Piano Concertos with the Freiburger Barockorchester (ECHO Klassik); Bach Violin Sonatas with Isabelle Faust; Mozart Violin Sonatas with Petra Müllejans and Beethoven & Mozart Lieder and Schumann Dichterliebe with Mark Padmore (Edison Award). In 2013 he was nominated as Gramophone Magazine’s Artist of the Year. Upcoming releases include two discs of Mozart Piano Concertos with Freiburger Barockorchester, recorded in 2024.
Royal Northern Sinfonia
Internationally renowned, calling Gateshead home.
37 musicians at the top of their game. Electrifying music, old and new. All the talent, determination, and creativity of the North East on a worldwide stage. From their home at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia share the joy and wonder of orchestral music with thousands of people across the North of England – and beyond – every year.
From symphonies to string quartets, film soundtracks to choral masses, and original performances with awesome artists from Sheku Kanneh-Mason to Self Esteem, the orchestra’s members have got one of the most varied jobs there is. They’re always looking for fresh new sounds from up-and-coming composers, inviting local communities to share a stage, and doing everything they can to inspire and prepare the musicians of tomorrow to one day take their place.
They’re also working hard to smash the barriers that can stop brilliant people getting into classical music. They’ve teamed up with national partners to support women conductors to develop their careers, to help global majority musicians get vital experience in the orchestra world, and to celebrate disabled and non-disabled musicians breaking new ground together in inclusive ensemble RNS Moves. And they bring new musical opportunities to the region, headlining the first-ever BBC Proms weekend outside London.
Because they whole-heartedly believe orchestral music is for anyone – big cities and rural villages, tiny babies and life-long listeners, die-hard fans and curious minds – they travel far and wide to make sure there’s top-notch classical music on offer for anyone ready to say “I’ll give that a go”. You’ll find them in churches, castles, and community venues across the North, as well as leading the charge in Carlisle, Kendal, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland.
With 65 years of success to build on, they’ve signed a dynamic artistic leadership – Music Director Dinis Sousa, Artistic Partner Maria Włoszczowska, Principal Guest Conductor Nil Venditti and Associate Conductor Ellie Slorach – to lead the way into a bold, bright future.
Wherever the orchestra play and whoever they share a stage with, every performance is a chance to see, hear and feel the music.
