Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert – Classical Times

Haydn / Mozart / Beethoven / Schubert – Classical Times

Classical Times is a beautifully varied introduction to four of the most important composers of the Classical and early Romantic eras: Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert. Released in 1994 as a Telarc Digital CD, the 16-track collection brings together famous symphonies, concertos, chamber music, opera and sacred repertoire, making it an accessible overview of some of the most enduring works in the classical canon.

Haydn is represented by selections from The Creation as well as his Symphony No. 31 and Symphony No. 100, demonstrating both the grandeur of his orchestral writing and the elegant wit that helped establish the Classical symphonic style. Mozart contributes some of his best-known repertoire, including Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, the Piano Concerto No. 21, Die Zauberflöte, Symphony No. 28 and the ever-popular Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

Beethoven features prominently with excerpts from Symphony No. 5, the Eroica Symphony, the Emperor Piano Concerto, the Moonlight Sonata and Symphony No. 9. Together these selections trace the composer's remarkable development from the Classical tradition inherited from Haydn and Mozart towards the more expansive, dramatic language that helped usher in the Romantic era.

Schubert completes the programme with the famous "Trout" Piano Quintet and Symphony No. 9 in C Major, known as "The Great", alongside "Die Nacht" from his Evensong repertoire. The Schubert selections provide a particularly effective link between the Classical period and the emerging Romantic style, combining lyrical melodies with increasingly expansive harmonic and orchestral ideas.

The performances bring together a distinguished collection of orchestras, conductors and soloists. Charles Mackerras conducts several of the Haydn and Mozart selections, Christoph von Dohnányi leads the Cleveland Orchestra for Beethoven and Schubert, and Seiji Ozawa conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra selections. John O'Conor, Rudolf Serkin and Robert Mackenzie are among the featured pianists, while the vocal works include performances involving the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus and Robert Shaw Chamber Singers.

For anyone building a classical music collection, Classical Times offers an excellent survey of the repertoire that shaped Western concert music. From Mozart's graceful melodies and Haydn's elegant symphonies to Beethoven's dramatic masterpieces and Schubert's lyrical Romanticism, this is a well-balanced classical compilation with plenty of instantly recognisable pieces.

Tracklist

1. Joseph Haydn – The Creation (Oratorio) – 2:09
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphony No. 40 In G Minor K550 – 3:47
3. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op.67 – 4:01
4. Franz Schubert – Piano Quintet In A Major D667 – 3:45
5. Joseph Haydn – Symphony No. 31 In D Minor – 4:56
6. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 21 In C Major – 4:48
7. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Die Zauberflote – 2:35
8. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major – 3:28
9. Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 5 – 3:09
10. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Serenade In G - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik – 3:32
11. Joseph Haydn – Symphony No. 100 In G Major – 4:58
12. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphony No. 28 In C Major – 3:36
13. Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor – 5:48
14. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op.125 – 3:43
15. Franz Schubert – Symphony No. 9 In C Major D994 – 3:58
16. Franz Schubert – Evensong Die Nacht D983 – 3:33