大象传媒

Donald Macleod explains how a lucky break saves Haydn from unemployment, with music from the opera Armida and his glorious Cello Sonata in C.

The streets must have seemed like they were paved with gold when Haydn visited London in 1791. He was feted and applauded everywhere he went as one of Europe鈥檚 leading composers. He hobnobbed with royalty, the Prince of Wales commissioned a portrait of him from leading society portraitist John Hoppner. It鈥檚 still regarded as one of the best images we have today.

Haydn could hardly have imagined all this as a boy. His really is a rags to riches story. Born in 1732 in humble circumstances, Haydn's musical talent won him a position as a choir boy in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. However, he was forced to leave after his voice broke and, by the age of 17, he was on the streets, with only 鈥渢hree miserable shirts and a worn-out coat鈥� to his name. Happily his life did then take an upward turn. Haydn was employed by the Esterh脿zys, one of the most powerful and influential families in the Hapsburg monarchy for an astonishing 48 years.

But this week Donald Macleod puts the public face of this internationally celebrated figure to one side. He鈥檚 going to be looking at Haydn through a narrower lens, drawing a picture of the composer through the relationships he enjoyed with some of his closest family and friends.

Prince Nikolaus Esterh脿zy became Haydn鈥檚 longest employer. The course of their association shows Haydn displaying a genuine talent for management and diplomacy.

Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, Hob.XVI:1
I. Allegro
Marc-Andr茅 Hamelin, piano

Symphony No. 6 in D major 鈥楲e Matin'
I. Adagio 鈥� Allegro
Il Giardino Armonico
Giovanni Antonini, director

Sonata No 46 in A flat major Hob XVI/46 II (sometimes numbered as 31)
III: Finale Presto
Marc-Andr茅 Hamelin, piano

L鈥檌nfedelt脿 delusa
Act I Scene 1: Introduction: Bella sera (Filippo, Vespina, Nencio, Nanni, Sandrina)
Edith Mathis, soprano, Vespina
Barbara Hendricks, soprano, Sandrina
Aldo Baldin, tenor, Filippo
Claes-H氓kan Ahnsj枚, tenor, Nencio
Michael Devlin, bass, Nanni
Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
Antal Dor谩ti, conductor

Cello concerto in C Hob. VIIb:1 (1761-65)
III: Allegro molto
The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Steven Isserlis, director, cello

The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross
Sonata II. F眉rwahr, ich sag' es dir. Grave e cantabile
Quarteto Casals

Armida (Act 1)
Parti Rinaldo - Se pietade avete
Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo soprano, Armida
Concentus Musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, director

Producer: Johannah Smith for 大象传媒 Audio