HAYDN: "Paris" Symphonies Nos. 84, 85, 86 & 87, Violin Concerto No. 1 - Les Arts Florissants, Théotime Langlois de Swarte, William Christie

Commissioned by the Comte d’Ogny for the Le Concert de la Loge Olympique, the ‘Paris’ Symphonies form a key milestone in Haydn’s output. William Christie and Les Arts Florissants have long loved these highly original works, and offer us an exhilaratingly elegant and poetic reading of four of them. The coupling is the all too rarely played Violin Concerto no.1, here directed by the soloist Théotime Langlois de Swarte.

CD1 Symphony No. 84 Hob. I:84
E-flat major / Mi bémol majeur / Es-Dur
· I. Largo - Allegro (9'49)
· II. Andante (6'23)
· III. Menuet. Allegretto - Trio (3'26)
· IV. Finale. Vivace (6'11)

Symphony No. 85 Hob. I:85
La Reine / The Queen / Die Königin
B-flat major / Si bémol majeur / B-Dur
· I. Adagio - Vivace (9'47)
· II. Romance. Allegretto (5'58)
· III. Menuet. Allegretto - Trio (4'31)
· IV. Finale. Presto (3'53)

CD2

Violin Concerto No. 1 Hob. VIIa:1 *
C major / Do majeur / C-Dur
· I. Allegro moderato (10'15)
· II. Adagio (5'36)
· III. Finale. Presto (5'00)

Symphony No. 86 Hob. I:86
D major / Ré majeur / D-Dur
· I. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso (12'04)
· II. Capriccio. Largo (4'46)
· III. Menuet. Allegretto - Trio (5'26)
· IV. Finale. Allegro con spirito (6'53)

Symphony No. 87 Hob. I:87
A major / La majeur / A-Dur
· I. Vivace (10'27)
· II. Adagio (6'38)
· III. Menuet - Trio (4'08)
· IV. Finale. Vivace (5'02)*

Théotime Langlois de Swarte, solo violin and conducting