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You are here: Home Leisure Arts & Culture The Klassical Junkie: It’s the anniversaries, stupid!

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01/05/2009The Klassical Junkie: It’s the anniversaries, stupid!

The Klassical Junkie: It’s the anniversaries, stupid! Expatica’s new classical music columnist, Sumi Somaskanda, takes a closer look at what’s on this month in a banner year.

It’s been a hallmark year in the world of classical music—a year to honor major anniversaries. On February 3, music lovers celebrated the 200th anniversary of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s birth, followed nearly two months later by the 250th anniversary of Georg Friedrich Handel’s death. Both German composers were featured on a long list of exhibits, celebrations, odes and special concerts around the country.

May marks the last of this year’s special classical anniversaries: on May 31, the classical world will commemorate the 200th anniversary of musical genius Joseph Haydn’s death.

Haydn didn’t exactly toil under the infamy a lot of his counterparts did—he died as one of the world’s most celebrated composers. And his masterpieces are as popular today as they were 200 years ago. Haydn followed on the heels of the Baroque-era masters Bach and Händel, soon becoming one of the most prolific composers of the classical period. And although he was born an Austrian, the composer is just as beloved in Germany’s rich classical tradition. The round-up of classical concerts this month include some special salutes to the composer known as the “Father of Symphony”:

The world-renowned Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra kicks off the month’s Haydn highlights with a concert featuring two of the composer’s most popular works. On May 7, the orchestra tunes into Haydn’s Symphony Nr. 38 in C Major, better known as the “Echo” Symphony.

Later in the program, French cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras plays a classic of the cello repertoire: Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major. Queyras, now a professor at the Stuttgart music academy, is no stranger to the timeless concerto, having performed the piece in several studio recordings and concerts.

A venue definitely adds to the magic of the music—and the palaces of Potsdam provide the perfect backdrop to Haydn’s melodies. The Potsdam Chamber Orchestra and selected soloists will perform both Haydn’s Symphony Nr. 46 in B Major and Symphony Nr. 60 in C Major on May 16. The latter, also known as “Il Distratto,” or “The Distracted,” is filled with Haydn’s own personal jokes, like abrupt changes in tempo, volume and instrumentation. If you’re in the area, it’s worth making the trip to enjoy the great acoustics in the Nikolaisaal, a relatively modern concert hall surrounded by the stunning Baroque architecture of Potsdam. And a hint for those of you who can’t catch the show in May: the Potsdam Sanssouci Music Festival 2009, called “Haydn’s World,” will be devoted entirely to the Austrian composer. The musical portion of the festival kicks off with an opening concert on June 12.

You don’t have to travel too far for Haydn’s next concert-bill appearance—the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Berlin is headlining the composer in a 2-day Haydn sprint on the 23 and 24 of the month. Both concerts are packed with a diverse list of the composer’s masterpieces, including his Symphony Nr. 7 in C Major, known as the “Noon” symphony, and the “Military Symphony” Nr. 100 in G Major. The evening of the 24th is highlighted by a special performance of the “Lord Nelson Mass,” also known as the “Mass for Troubled Times.” Haydn wrote the beloved liturgical piece during the uncertain summer of 1798, as wars and economic disaster engulfed everyday life in Europe. And not surprisingly, the performance seems to fit in perfectly with today’s “troubled times.”

The end of May is the climax of the month-long Haydn celebrations, with several anniversary concerts taking place on the day of his death.

The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra is devoting both the 30th and the 31st of the month to Haydn, honoring the composer with performances of his “Mourning” Symphony Nr. 44 in E Minor, as well as what should be a stirring performance of Edison Denisov’s “Death is a Long Sleep,” a piece based on variations of Haydn’s Canon for cello and orchestra.  

The ceremonies then come full circle, ending back in Leipzig on May 31 with a series of special programs. The Gewandhaus Orchestra starts off early with a breakfast concert in the Thomas Church, featuring the church choir and cantor. The combined ensembles are showcasing an anniversary performance of Haydn’s Nr. 6 Mass in G Major, known as the “Missa Sancti Nicolai.” Just a few short hours later, the Gewandhaus Orchestra’s organist Michael Schönheit debuts the Concerto for Organ in C Major with accompaniment from the Merseburger Hofmusik, an ensemble made up of the organist’s colleagues from the Gewandhaus Orchestra. The midday concert is packed with some of Haydn’s best masterpieces, including the “Maria Theresa” Symphony Nr. 48 in C Major.  And of course, the program ends, appropriately, with a performance of Haydn’s Symphony Nr. 45 in F sharp Minor, the “Farewell” symphony.  

The performances don’t end in May—you can continue to catch Haydn performances, as well as more tributes to Mendelssohn and Handel, throughout the year—especially during the summer’s series of music festivals around the country. More on that next time!

Sumi Somaskanda/Expatica


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