HAYDNDYAH (Merkur Trauer Palindrom) Concerto Copenhagen & Lars Ulrik Mortensen

• Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809): Symphony no. 43 in Eb Major, "Mercury", Hob. I/43:
• 1 Haydn: Symphony no. 43 in Eb Major, "Mercury", Hob. I/43: I. Allegro 07:32
• 2 Haydn: Symphony no. 43 in Eb Major, "Mercury", Hob. I/43: II. Adagio 07:50
• 3 Haydn: Symphony no. 43 in Eb Major, "Mercury", Hob. I/43: III. Menuetto & Trio 02:39
• 4 Haydn: Symphony no. 43 in Eb Major, "Mercury", Hob. I/43: IV. Finale. Allegro 05:58
• Symphony no. 44 in E Minor, "Mourning", Hob. I/44:
• 5 Haydn: Symphony no. 44 in E Minor, "Mourning", Hob. I/44: I. Allegro con Brio 06:30
• 6 Haydn: Symphony no. 44 in E Minor, "Mourning", Hob. I/44: II. Menuetto & Trio. Allegretto. Canone in Diapason 04:16
• 7 Haydn: Symphony no. 44 in E Minor, "Mourning", Hob. I/44: III. Adagio 05:35
• 8 Haydn: Symphony no. 44 in E Minor, "Mourning", Hob. I/44: IV. Finale. Presto 05:16
• Symphony no. 47 in G Major, "Palindrome", Hob. I/47:
• 9 Haydn: Symphony no. 47 in G Major, "Palindrome", Hob. I/47: I. Allegro 09:08
• 10 Haydn: Symphony no. 47 in G Major, "Palindrome", Hob. I/47: II. Un poco adagio, Cantabile 07:39
• 11 Haydn: Symphony no. 47 in G Major, "Palindrome", Hob. I/47: III. Menuetto & Trio al Roverso 02:06
• 12 Haydn: Symphony no. 47 in G Major, "Palindrome", Hob. I/47: IV. Finale. Presto Assai 06:31
• Total Runtime 01:11:00

Info for HAYDNDYAH (Merkur Trauer Palindrom)

Concerto Copenhagen, the renowned baroque ensemble, are releasing their new album, which explores Haydn's symphonies in a new way. At the centre of the album are Haydn's symphonies No. 47 ‘Palindrome’, No. 44 ‘Mourning’ and No. 43 ‘Mercury’. Concerto Copenhagen is known for its innovative interpretations and brings a new spirit to these classical masterpieces.

Haydn, who composed 140 symphonies during his lifetime, played a crucial role in shaping classical music form and style, influencing giants such as Mozart and Beethoven. This album promises a captivating journey through Haydn's enduring legacy.

‘Our motivation for this album stems from a deep respect for Haydn's innovative spirit and a desire to share the timeless brilliance of his work with a new audience. We at Concerto Copenhagen believe that Haydn's music occupies a unique place in the classical repertoire. By revisiting these lesser-known symphonies, we aim to emphasise their dramatic power and emotional depth, making them accessible and engaging for modern listeners.’ - Nikolaj de Fine Licht, Managing Director of Concerto Copenhagen. It is not known why the Symphony No. 43 in E flat major was given the title ‘Mercury’ in the course of the 20th century. The situation is different with Symphony No. 44 in E minor: it did not receive its nickname ‘Mourning’ because of its character, which can rather be described as ‘dramatic’, but because of Haydn's expressed wish that the slow third movement of the symphony be played at his funeral service. The third movement of Symphony No. 47 in G major, ‘Palindrome’, is in fact a palindrome. Both the minuet and the trio have two halves, in both cases the second part simply corresponds to the first, which is played backwards.

The orchestra, conducted by Lars Ulrik Mortensen, has worked intensively with the language, effects and nuances that Haydn used for his exclusive audience at Esterháza Castle. This has resulted in interpretations that resonate with contemporary audiences while preserving the original spirit of intensity and seclusion inherent in the compositions.

Concerto Copenhagen
Lars Ulrik Mortensen, conductor

Concerto Copenhagen
played its first concert in 1991 and has since developed into Scandinavia’s leading early music ensemble, joining the league of the world’s most exciting and innovative Baroque orchestras. Original interpretations and a strong ability to communicate with the audience are among Concerto Copenhagen’s hallmarks – making old music vital, relevant and contemporary.

In 1999 the internationally acclaimed harpsichordist and chamber musician, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, became the ensemble’s chief artistic director, and was awarded the coveted Léonie Sonning Music Prize in 2007.

Scandinavian origins: The collaboration between Concerto Copenhagen and Lars Ulrik Mortensen has led to an exciting artistic and musical journey, appreciated and praised by audiences and critics worldwide, and combining a repertoire of well-known European music with less familiar works of Scandinavian origin.

Over the years Concerto Copenhagen has collaborated with many internationally renowned artists in the Early Music scene, including Emma Kirkby, Andreas Scholl, Anne Sofie von Otter, Sonia Prina, Vivica Genaux, Andrew Manze, Andrew Lawrence-King, Reinhard Goebel, Ronald Brautigam, Jordi Savall, and Alfredo Bernardini, the orchestra’s principal guest conductor. Beginning in 2015 the Danish composer Karl Aage Rasmussen will be composer-in-residence and accompany the orchestra on an adventurous expedition into the world of contemporary music.

International attention: Concerto Copenhagen’s CD recordings for CPO, Deutsche Grammophon and BIS, as well as DVD productions for Harmonia Mundi and Decca have attracted worldwide attention and won several international awards. This has led to invitations from many of Europe’s leading concert venues and festivals, as well as extensive tours to the USA, Japan, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. International reviews reflect the experience of a cosmopolitan orchestra at the highest level.

Concerto Copenhagen’s collaboration with Italian opera director Deda Cristina Colonna has led to highly successful opera productions in the orchestra’s hometown Copenhagen. In 2016 Concerto Copenhagen will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a wide range of projects and events.

This album contains no booklet.