From the wonderful folks at Universal Australia comes this marvelous and important reissue of music that has only been generally available on one other label (CPO), but that otherwise receives little or no attention on disc. This is a pity, for Haydn’s 24 Minuets is without question the finest single collection of dance music by any of the three great composers of the First Viennese School, and this is a wonderful performance of it. Whereas in the symphonies Dorati’s treatment of the minuets sometimes could sound a bit clucky and slow, especially by today’s “period-instrument” standards, here he seems to catch the spirit of the dance especially well (Haydn often complained of his minuets being taken too quickly for their proper rhythm to register as a genuine dance step). The playing of the Philharmonica Hungarica also is excellent, and the sonics are among the best in Dorati’s Decca Haydn series. So if you missed this release years ago, don’t squander your second chance to grab at budget price one of Haydn’s least-known major works (albeit a “light” one), and an essential addition to any collection of his orchestral music. [7/26/2005]
