MIDWEST RECORD:
Just when you think the world's greatest garage sale is on line only, here comes a cd for the rest of us that still like to find rare things while pawing through the racks.  30 year old recordings that were quite a find then are even more of a find now, especially with the sonic upgrades digital affords.  A double cd that also includes bonus material dating back to 1964, the underserved Haydn fan that really wants something “new” and different has a full on bonanza here.  Lesser known works that are far from being of lesser quality with performances and interpretations to match.
Chris Spector

FANFARE (USA):
These are reissues of earlier analog stereo recordings, and the recorded sound shows its age. The vocal works were recorded in Paris's Salle Wigram in 1978; balances are excellent and solo vocal lines clear, but the chorus suffers from some distortion and their whole is dry and a bit gritty, with little sense of life or lift. All of which fits with the performance of the Stabat mater , which is careful and accurate but short on feeling. Despite the conductor's local reputation as a Haydn specialist, the orchestra is a modern-instrument one; a paragraph on the realization of the score suggests that the strings are 9-3-2-1. The generally excellent soloists sing “brief vocal cadenzas, using suggestions of” the conductor; vocal ornamentation is otherwise minimal. Despite the apparently international mix of their names and the Latin text, the vocal style is French, emphasizing the nasal qualities in the voices, especially the tenor. An organ provide continuo for the chorus, a harpsichord for recitatives.

Although a late work, possibly 1790, the Libera me, Domine (much of it a cappella ) is written in an ancient style, closer to plainchant than to Baroque or rococo. Unsurprisingly, the mature Haydn proves a master again; the brief piece is exquisite, far more moving than the 1767 Stabat mater . This performance captures the funereal essence of the Libera me better than the only other one I know, by L'Archibudelli on a Sony disc.

The instrumental works were recorded in another Parisian venue, the Salle Adyar, in 1964. The performance of the symphony is both correct and sensitive, the sound clean, almost sweet; only a lack of repeats keeps it from being competitive with today's best. The double Concerto, from the early 1760s, is a delight; violinist Manzone (the ensemble's concertmaster) is imaginative, his instrument rich, and the harpsichord sparkles. The oddity of a harpsichord playing with a modern-string ensemble is a nostalgic reminder of performances in the 19050s and 1960s, but it goes against our current conditioning, thanks to which we—and Haydn—are better off.

Latin texts are included. Notes to the vocal works are adapted from H. C. Robbins Landon, those for the instrumental ones by Jean Hamon. Although suffering from the English translation, the latter are of interest, noting both the plusses and minuses of Haydn's “servant contract” with Esterházys, and the princes' “sensitivity and flexibility in applying this contract . . . conscious that [Haydn's] glory served to further enhance their own brilliance.' Hamon introduces the concept of “delightful tempos” and mentions that Haydn “discovered the works of Shakespeare ( King Lear , among others) and their turbulent emotive forces” at the time of the “Trauer” Symphony.

In sum: these are decent, honest, old-fashioned performances that are not competitive in today's world of enlightened period-practice recordings. I recommend it nevertheless, for its rare, revelatory Libera me, Domine .
James H North

ALLMUSIC:
Recorded in 1964 and 1978, this falls into the category of historical historical recordings, a small segment of the market, but not without interest. Actually, these readings by Les Solistes de Paris hold up better than many recordings from the early days of the historical-performance movement. The historical-performance descriptor isn't even really relevant for the 1964 recordings of the Symphony No. 44 in E minor, "Trauersinfonie", and the Concerto for violin, harpsichord, and orchestra in F major, airy, very French versions, with a notable lack of Sturm und Drang in the intense minor-key symphony.

The most interesting thing is how far the musicians came between 1964 and 1978, with a new interest in historical procedures on the part of conductor Henri-Claude Fantapié and help on the ornamentation from the leading Haydn scholar of the day, H.C. Robbins Landon. It makes the difference in an emotionally penetrating reading of Haydn's still-underrated Stabat Mater and in the dark Libera me, a work just then coming into general circulation. The Stabat Mater is given a large, operatic reading in which the soloists and the Chorale Philippe-Caillard fully cooperate. Newer versions of all these pieces may be preferable, but the unique collection of all this somber Haydn, so unlike his usual genial personality, is another plus, and serious Haydn buffs will find these distinctive performances. The booklet notes are in English and French, alternating between languages by section.
James Manheim

AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE:
Here's a dated, but fairly effective mixed bag of lesser-known choral and orchestral compositions from the ever-industrious pen (and fertile mind) of Josef Haydn. The choral performances are from 1978, and the orchestral performances date back to 1964. All but the symphony are new to me.

Like so much of Haydn's work, the Stabat Mater (from 1767) is a neglected masterpiece, having gotten only a handful of recordings over the years. In fact, Haydn himself considered it an important turning point in his career, believing that his fellow musicians only began taking his efforts seriously after the piece drew the attention and effusive praise of Johann Adolf Hasse, one of Europe's most revered composers.

The composer obviously took great pains with Medieval monk Jacopone da Todi's famous Latin text depicting the Holy Mother's agony as she witnessed her son's crucifixion. The music is scored for the usual soloists, chorus, and small string orchestra (with occasional oboes or English horns)—plus alternating organ-harpsichord continuo. Careful attention to the texts reveals how beautifully Haydn managed to reflect their aching grief and pain in music.

The single-movement Libera me, Domine wasn't discovered until the 1960s. Probably written between 1782 and 1790, it may have served as funeral music for an Esterhazy princess. The music (for chorus and string orchestra) alternates choral sections with chant-passages, radiating crushing sadness and melancholy from beginning to end.

I enjoyed the performances, but was hardly bowled over. I've heard the Chorale Philippe-Caillard before, and their work here is quite admirable—as is the orchestra's. But the soloists, while adequate, are not particularly impressive. Still, everybody does well enough to convince me of the music's considerable worth.

Moving on to the orchestral works, the album's largely tragic tone persists with Symphony No. 44 in E minor, the so-called Trauersinfonie (mourning symphony). It enjoys some renown as one of Haydn's better-known sturm und drang (storm and stress) symphonies. Its minor-key dramatics and musings keep things tense and melancholy by turns, and the only rays of resigned respite are in the gentle Adagio.

The Concerto in F for violin, harpsichord, and strings, is the only upbeat work of the lot. It's not only buoyantly reminiscent of Haydn's famous Sinfonia Concertante , but it approaches that work's exalted levels of spirit and genius. It was written between 1761 and 1765—a period largely devoted to experimentation and demonstration of his capabilities.

Orchestra and soloists do very well here, in recordings that wear their age well. The symphony, in particular, is very cleanly performed—with plenty of punch, drama, pathos, and some exquisitely nuanced turns of phrase. The analog sound is nicely remastered. The booklet is useful and informative, but lacks translations for the choral material. While I'm glad to have this, I'm still going to be on the prowl for better recordings of the vocal numbers—especially the Stabat Mater . There are several recordings out there from much better-known artists.
Koob

MUSICWEB:
Neither Haydn's Stabat Mater nor Les Solistes de Paris have appeared in the record catalogues much, so in some ways this is a most welcome disc. Les Solistes de Paris were formed by Henri-Claude Fantapie in 1964 and seems to have stopped functioning as a playing ensemble in the 1980s.
 
Haydn's Stabat Mater was composed in 1767, for Haydn's own forces in Eisenstadt. The work uses an orchestra of strings, oboes and organ. It was evidently praised by Hasse, a composer of an earlier generation who had a lot of influence on Haydn. Haydn seems to have taken a lot of care over the piece; after all it had to compete with the better known Pergolesi setting. The Stabat Mater has a superbly crafted atmosphere, which reflects the darkness and sobriety of the text. In this respect it is unlike Pergolesi's setting which sometimes reflects Pergolesi's operatic background. Haydn uses his solo voices with assurance and mixes arias with choral numbers and ensembles. The result is long but profoundly satisfying and it is curious that there are not more recordings in the catalogue.

This recording was made in 1978 and when it comes to the orchestral contribution, the group reflects changes in performance style. They do not use period performance practice, but the sound is crisp and lithe. Tempi are kept moving and the overall sound is slim and not overblown. The Chorale Philippe Caillard make an equally strong contribution.
 
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the soloists. None are completely adequate to the task but Claudia Eder's dark mezzo, Axel Reichardt's light, lyric tenor and Jurg Krattinger's baritone all made something of a contribution to the proceedings. None is entirely comfortable in the more complex passagework which Haydn requires of them. But it is soprano Anna-Maria Bondi who really lets things down. Her tone is attractive and plangent but she constantly smudges her runs.
 
The other choral work on the discs is Haydn's Libera Me . This work was only discovered in the 1960s and may have been written for the death of Princess Marie Elizabeth Esterhazy in 1790. The autograph no longer survives, but the original performing material does. It is a short but charming work and receives a decent performance here.
 
The other accompanying works come from a recording made in 1964. Symphony no. 44 dates from Haydn's Sturm und Drang period and has the subtitle, Trauersinfonie. It is a fine piece, but this performance does not really do it justice. It sports some notable wind playing and the horns relish the new opportunities which Haydn gives them. But in too many places the string playing is just too untidy, particularly in the underlying parts. Perhaps this would have been acceptable in an historic performance, but in the Adagio problems of tuning render this account completely out of court.
 
The concerto dates from an earlier period than the symphony and is far less assured and less daring. It is charming and lively and the recording suffers from fewer of the problems that occur in the symphony. Unfortunately the balance is entirely out of kilter with the harpsichord which is permanently at a notch or two of loudness less then everyone else. When it plays alone with the orchestra, the balance is just about bearable but when the violin joins in it dominates in a way which is unsatisfactory.
 
This historic disc will probably interest those who are curious about the recorded history of this French ensemble, or who want to hear historic accounts of these important Haydn works. But for the general listener the recording probably has too many problems for it to be completely recommendable.   *
Robert Hugill

* we hope that readers take into accound' series which is limited to pre-1958 material, this is a 'vintage release' of extreme interest for the rarity of the music. We have several glowing reviews from the origonal issue date to post soon..