Roaming The Classical Period
sat 12 sep 2026 11:00 hrs
Three of the great names of the Viennese Classical period take centre stage in this episode of Roaming The Classical Period: Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart. Their music already hints at the Romantic era that was to follow, sometimes surprisingly so.
Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 52 in C minor is one of his most dramatic symphonies from the early 1770s. Its mournful, melancholy character is balanced by the energy and vitality that are so characteristic of Haydn. According to Haydn biographer Giuseppe Carpani, the work belonged to a group of symphonies intended for performances during Holy Week.
Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24, is better known as the Spring Sonata. Beethoven himself did not give it this nickname, but it suits the work perfectly, with its lyrical, pastoral atmosphere.
And of course, Mozart could hardly be left out of this company. The sparkling overture to his opera Le nozze di Figaro is one of his best-known orchestral works, and in just a few minutes demonstrates his extraordinary mastery of colour, contrast and theatrical tension.
Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart: three contemporaries who each pushed the boundaries of the Classical style in their own way, helping to pave the way for the Romantic era.
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
Symphony No. 52 in C minor, Hob. I:52 (1771)
I. Allegro assai con brio
II. Andante
III. Menuet. Allegretto – Trio
IV. Finale. Presto
Il Giardino Armonico, conducted by Giovanni Antonini
(CD: Alpha No. 1101)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
2. Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24
I. Allegro assai
II. Adagio molto espressivo
III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
IV. Rondo – Allegro ma non troppo
Alina Ibragimova (violin), Cédric Tiberghien (fortepiano)
(CD: BIS No. 2724)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
3. Overture to Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492
4. Overture to Ascanio in Alba, K. 111 (additional track)
Kölner Akademie, conducted by Michael Alexander Willens
(CD: BIS No. 2062)
Pictured: Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven
