Sinfonie Nr. 45 Fis-moll (Abschiedssinfonie) / Sinfonie Nr. 104 D-dur (Sinfonie Mit Dem Dudelsack)

This 1963 Eterna release features Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 45, the 'Farewell,' and Symphony No. 104, the 'London,' performed by the Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Kurt Sanderling. Produced by the East German state label Eterna, the record reflects the high technical standards of the era’s GDR recording culture. Sanderling, having returned to Germany from the Soviet Union, brought a disciplined, structural rigor to these interpretations that cemented his reputation as a master of the classical repertoire.

The album cover design embodies the mid-century aesthetic often found in Eterna’s classical series, prioritizing clean typography and evocative imagery over the commercial gloss of Western labels. By coupling the emotionally charged 'Farewell' symphony—notorious for its theatrical ending where musicians leave the stage one by one—with the grandiosity of the final London symphony, the release provides a balanced exploration of Haydn’s mastery. It remains a notable document of the collaborative relationship between Sanderling and the historic Staatskapelle Dresden during the 1960s.