The Surprise

"Joseph Haydn not only loved to surprise his audience, he also loved to laugh," writes Christian Moritz-Bauer in the introduction to this sixteenth volume of the complete Haydn symphony recording from 2032. Take for example the false ending of Symphony no. 90, composed in 1788: the music seems to have reached its final chord, but after a pause the movement is resumed and ends with a powerful coda. Another example of Haydn's mischievous humor is the famous Andante "with the timpani roll", which forms the "surprise" of Symphony no. 94, a fortissimo chord intended to wake up listeners who had fallen asleep towards the end of his concerti... In this volume, which focuses on humor, Giovanni Antonini pays tribute to one of Haydn's great admirers, Gioachino Rossini, by recording the sparkling opening symphony of La scala di seta (The Silken Ladder), a one-act opera from 1812.