Das Wiener Philharmonia Trio - Haydn: Divertimentos (String Trios), Vol. 1 (2002)

Haydn’s 18 surviving string trios are early works, composed during the 1760s, but as anyone who knows Haydn will understand, this doesn’t make them immature. He was in his 30s when he wrote them, already in the service of the Esterházy family, and they post-date the Morzin symphonies and the first 10 divertimento-quartets. In other words, they belong to Haydn’s first period of maturity, and they are wholly lovely. Scored (with one exception) for two violins and cello, four of the five works here begin with an adagio, and three continue with an allegro and final minuet. One of them, No. 8, which also is the only piece scored for violin, viola, and cello, reverses the order of the two quick movements, while No. 4 uses a fast-slow-fast pattern. Finally, No. 3 is written in the dark key of B minor, and it clearly foreshadows the Sturm und Drang period to come.

This is primarily gracious music, certainly not on a level with the Op. 9 quartets, but as always with Haydn it is immaculately crafted and never dull. Das Wiener Philharmonia Trio plays beautifully, with a sweet tone, excellent blend, and phrasing that makes the adagios sing. For all the music’s obviously “light” qualities, these are still not trivial works. A couple of them last upward of 15 minutes and feature nine- or 10-minute-long adagios, so there is a basic seriousness at the heart of these pieces that also foreshadows the great quartets to come. It’s good to hear players treat them with the respect that they deserve, and the sound is full-bodied and warm, never tiring to the ear. If you like Haydn, you shouldn’t hesitate to add this disc to your collection.