The plan is for these artists to record Haydn’s 100-plus Symphonies in time for 2032, ‘Haydn 300’. This is Volume Thirteen (I have just come on board) and it’s terrific in terms of music and performance. The horns of Symphony 31 (Horn Signal) are thrillingly brazen in the first movement, whereas solo strings distinguish the rather dark slow movement, horns lurking though. Throughout these three works, each consistently evident of Haydn’s inventive genius, the musicians bring strength, style, sensitivity and security – period instruments mastered – so that the ‘Fire’ Symphony (No.59) lives up to its name in the opening movement, without being relentless, for light and shade abounds in what is generally energetic if deeply considered music-making overall; Minuets and tempo-related Trios tend to be springy and moving-forward, slow movements are lyrically lovely, and outer ones are unfailingly lively. The Finale of ‘Fire’ has some hair-raising trill-laden horn parts brought off with courageous accuracy, and those instruments are again to the high-register fore in the great and substantial ‘Maria Theresa’ Symphony (No.48) in which Giovanni Antonini and his devoted players are poised ideally between zesty drive (with dynamic contrasts) and harmonic crunch in the opening movement, the Adagio being a songful response, following which the Minuet dances with joy and the Finale strides with purpose. With every repeat observed (Minuets when returning are heard once), Alpha 692 has a running time of eighty minutes, not a second too long.

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/haydn-2032-vol-13-horn-signal