# Haydn Complete Symphonies - Thomas Fey Heidelberg Symphony - A Great Discovery



## Tekrad (Apr 5, 2017)

I am relatively new to TC forum, so forgive me if this is a passe subject.:tiphat:

I am an SACD collector and an admitted Haydn freak. :devil: Once I ran out of SACD titles, I turned my greedy view to the several "Complete" Symphony RBCD collections out there. I checked out and auditioned the Hogwood, Bruggen and Fischer versions. I even listened to some of the celebrated Dorati versions, but as with most older recordings, I am left unsatisfied....until I discovered the newer recordings of Thomas Fey and the Heidelberg Sinfoniker on the Hanssler Classic Label out of Germany. 
My taste in Haydn is an exciting, and modern digital sound...and boy, does the Fey cycle fit the bill!

If you are a faithful Dorati follower and prefer nuanced, gentle performances and/or modern instruments - then these are probably not for you. If you are a originalist and a rigid chart/notation follower - again, these are not for you.
If you're like me - and love my Haydn "Loud and Proud" with dramatic license and the hot mess of period instruments and tempo changes to fit the emotional moment, then you must check these out! 
If you subscribe to the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra on You-tube, then you can audition several albums from start to finish. You can find the rest if you look a little harder.

If anyone has found these great recordings and would like to comment, let's hear from you.


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## Jacob Brooks (Feb 21, 2017)

Thank you for the recommendation! Really enjoying these performances so far. I love that they emphasize liveliness, which really fits what Haydn's symphonies are about. For subscribers of Amazon Music Unlimited, these are available free under artist title Thomas Fey, with a few under the orchestra name.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

I love Fey's Haydn, but I understand that he suffered an accident a couple of years ago, and won't be completing his cycle, although the orchestra may be completing it with a different conductor.

You should also try to hear Giovanni Antonini's recordings. He's just begun what promises to be a complete set of Haydn symphonies, and the first couple of volumes are terrific.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

This page, from two years ago, talks about Fey's accident (which evidently was quite serious). It claims Fey will return and Hannsler will complete the cycle, but the jury seems still out on that.

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-hobbit-returns-thomas-fey.html

Added: Fey may be back in the saddle, as Hanssler released this 2-CD set in November 2016. But one CD is conducted by the concertmaster.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Jacob Brooks said:


> Thank you for the recommendation! Really enjoying these performances so far. I love that they emphasize liveliness, which really fits what Haydn's symphonies are about. For subscribers of Amazon Music Unlimited, these are available free under artist title Thomas Fey, with a few under the orchestra name.


Saw some under the name of the orchestra in Tidal. Will search Fey's name as well.


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## Funny (Nov 30, 2013)

Thanks for the info, will definitely check out what Fey's done so far! It's an intriguing, appealing description.

I've found that although I do get a sense of different overarching approaches - and of course in some cases different instruments - I wind up liking different conductors' versions of given symphonies best on a seemingly random basis. For a while I thought Fischer had the perfect approach, then as I started going methodically through his box (I'm currently on #91) I noticed that some of my favorite fun moments out of all Haydn's symphonies were muffed. Still, there are some of his that I consider "the definitive version," where for other symphonies it might be Bruggen or Dorati or Solomons. So I'll likely find things here and there in Fey's too, maybe some "definitives!"


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Dorati remains my mainstay for Haydn, but I do enjoy the different approach that HIP brings
I have to admit to never having heard any of the Fey cycle, but shall correct this deficiency on my part via streaming


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I'd say that Dorati is probably my go-to man as well, but there are, unsurprisingly, few one-conductor sets out there, and there are times when Adam Fischer is for me better, especially in the Sturm und Drang works. But there, I hold special affection for Trevor Pinnock. I also have the incomplete Hogwood cycle, as well as the wonderful Gobermans recordings, and several sets of "just" the London or Paris symphonies. Not a proper cycle, but Naxos produced a complete set of all 100+ whatever, five conductors off the top of my head, probably more ensembles than that! Some real gems in there, for me especially Nicholas Ward's recordings.
Fey sounds interesting, I might get hold of a couple of CDs of favoured symphonies. Thanks for the heads up!


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Going to try Fey's take on the Paris Symphonies first and see how they grab me


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Oddly enough, the same selection I have ordered for myself!


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

I have all of the Haydn Symphonies. Downloads I put together with different conductors. Fey being one of them. All good, though.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I've long loved Fey's lively interpretations and was trying to collect them all. i'm nowhere near complete with what is already available, but I'm saddened to hear they may come to an end. I've been saving up for the London symphonies at least.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Thoroughly enjoying Fey's Paris set now they have arrived! A couple of Minuets are a bit lumpy, but overall they are fresh and sprightly readings, and it's pretty clear Fey and his orchestra have a genuine love for this music.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Robert Pickett said:


> Thoroughly enjoying Fey's Paris set now they have arrived! A couple of Minuets are a bit lumpy, but overall they are fresh and sprightly readings, and it's pretty clear Fey and his orchestra have a genuine love for this music.


Couldn't agree more with the above


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Are you chaps and chapettes aware that Fey's London Symphonies are being released as a set in the next week or so? On order here!


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Funny said:


> Thanks for the info, will definitely check out what Fey's done so far! It's an intriguing, appealing description.
> 
> I've found that although I do get a sense of different overarching approaches - and of course in some cases different instruments - I wind up liking different conductors' versions of given symphonies best on a seemingly random basis. For a while I thought Fischer had the perfect approach, then as I started going methodically through his box (I'm currently on #91) I noticed that some of my favorite fun moments out of all Haydn's symphonies were muffed. Still, there are some of his that I consider "the definitive version," where for other symphonies it might be Bruggen or Dorati or Solomons. So I'll likely find things here and there in Fey's too, maybe some "definitives!"


Indeed, when it comes to Haydn (especially) "different approaches" seem fitting, as I believe Papa Haydn himself never directed the same performance twice from his orchestras in any particular work of his. He was, after all, an imaginative experimenter, and I suspect that each time he approached a work he'd want to hear what might happen if something was "adjusted" slightly from what had been performed the last time. I'm sure Haydn would enjoy Fey's performances, but would also appreciate those of all the other conductors, too. He was, of course, a businessman composer and would appreciate the interest paid to his music. His royalties today, of course, would be in the billions.

A few years back, some of you may recall, I took on the action of listening to the entire symphony cycle, every day of 107 days starting on January 1 of the year. I have a couple more cycles of the symphonies and plan to do this again, soon. Haydn has long been my favorite composer -- not to take anything away from all the other favorites, of course. I, too, recommend the Fey recordings ... and all the other ones as well!


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Robert Pickett said:


> Are you chaps and chapettes aware that Fey's London Symphonies are being released as a set in the next week or so? On order here!


Interesting, I shall be interested in these, but probably via streaming initially


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## WienerKonzerthaus (Mar 11, 2014)

KenOC said:


> This page, from two years ago, talks about Fey's accident (which evidently was quite serious). It claims Fey will return and Hannsler will complete the cycle, but the jury seems still out on that.
> 
> http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-hobbit-returns-thomas-fey.html
> 
> Added: Fey may be back in the saddle, as Hanssler released this 2-CD set in November 2016. But one CD is conducted by the concertmaster.


Alas, Fey will never come back as a conductor, "barring a miracle" as per one of the orchestra's spokespersons.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Got Fey's London set from FYE. Sale price is 15.74. Mostly listed as out of stock or much higher price everywhere else.
https://www.fye.com/haydn---london-symphonies-aec.prol16001.2.html?cgid=music-classical


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

starthrower said:


> Got Fey's London set from FYE. Sale price is 15.74. Mostly listed as out of stock or much higher price everywhere else.
> https://www.fye.com/haydn---london-symphonies-aec.prol16001.2.html?cgid=music-classical


That should be a great choice as an entry point. You're not much of a Haydn guy, are you? I would also recommend either Frans Brüggen or Sigiswald Kuijken for the Paris symphonies next. The latter I'm sure can be found for a couple bucks used, not so sure about the former (I got mine for cheap but it wasn't so easy to find).


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

flamencosketches said:


> I would also recommend either Frans Brüggen or Sigiswald Kuijken for the Paris symphonies next. The latter I'm sure can be found for a couple bucks used, not so sure about the former (I got mine for cheap but it wasn't so easy to find).


Brüggen's Haydn has often been a challenge to find (his "Sturm und Drang" set in particular), but for some reason, his set of Paris symphonies has been widely available, and there are usually reasonably priced copies on eBay and Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000026CEL


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

flamencosketches said:


> That should be a great choice as an entry point. You're not much of a Haydn guy, are you?


No, that's why I chose the Fey set. Some of the more polished, polite performances will no doubt put me to sleep. Fey's is a bit more scrappy. I found the scathing review at Amazon pretty hilarious. I left a comment saying, "thanks, I ordered a copy!" Apparently I bought the only copy at FYE. Today it's listed as out of stock.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

starthrower said:


> No, that's why I chose the Fey set. Some of the more polished, polite performances will no doubt put me to sleep. Fey's is a bit more scrappy.


It's a shame that Hanssler won't be finishing this Haydn cycle - the most recent of many aborted Haydn symphony series.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Is Hanssler still doing releases? I thought they folded and got bought by another label.


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

wkasimer said:


> It's a shame that Hanssler won't be finishing this Haydn cycle - the most recent of many aborted Haydn symphony series.


Are you sure Hanssler has decided to abort it?

They released a cd with Benjamin Spilner as conductor in 2017 and in 2018 this one was released *without any conductor credited!!!* (Which is highly unusual for a symphony orchestra!). Both of these are on Spotify. :


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

starthrower said:


> Is Hanssler still doing releases? I thought they folded and got bought by another label.


They are married to Profil. But they still release new cds with the Hanssler trademark logo - se this link to pre-order items:
https://www.europadisc.co.uk/label/Haenssler.htm


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