HAYDN: LONDON SYMPHONIES 103 &

In No. 104 . . . [Kuijken] leaves you in no doubt that the central minore section (from 3'33'') is the most awesome, physically powerful music in any eighteenth-century symphonic slow movement. . . . I like, too, Kuijken’s grave, steady tread in the C minor-major theme and variations of No. 103 . . . the swaggering grandeur he brings to the final C major variation (8'21'') and the tenderness with which he shapes the quiet string phrases that usher in the coda – a sudden and magical change of atmosphere (9'20''). . . . Kuijken’s interpretations, vividly realized by his 35-strong orchestra (particularly delectable work from first flute and first oboe), can be recommended to anyone seeking these symphonies in period performances that do ample justice to the music’s boldness and imaginative reach. -- Richard Wigmore, Gramophone