Haydn - Symphony 85 [Goodman-The Hanover Band]
Haydn's Symphony 85 has the nickname 'Queen', because it was a favourite of Queen Marie Antoinette of France, the Englishman Roy Goodman has recorded many of Haydn's Symphonies, and his Paris set is very good.
Please refer to my comments on [22nd February 2010] about the booklet!.
I love the opening movement, full of drama and variety, it begins with a slow tread intro, very regal and processional, think Queen! [0:00-0:59], and then a new intro comes in for the faster section, and the whole thing launches off [1:13], only for the whole piece to oscillate back and forth between slow and fast, quiet and loud etc, there's this lovely sharp upward rising 'gunfire burst' from the strings, and this device permeates the whole movement, it's good to hear this on period instruments, i think the Paris Symphonies [82-87] are Haydn's very best Symphonies, and a great place to start if you want to delve into his Symphonic oeuvre.
Here's the first movement played on YouTube.
