Symphonie Nr. 103 Es-Dur, Hob. I/103 "Mit Dem Paukenwirbel" (= Drum Roll = Roulement De Timbales). Symphonie Nr. 104 D-Dur, Hob. I/104 "London"

Released in 1987 on the Teldec label, this recording features the Concertgebouworkest under the baton of Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The pairing of Joseph Haydn's final two symphonies, numbers 103 and 104, represents a significant entry in the mid-1980s catalog of period-informed performance practices applied to major symphony orchestras. These works were originally composed during Haydn’s highly successful visits to London in the 1790s, where he premiered them to great acclaim at the Hanover Square Rooms.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, a pioneer of the historically informed performance movement, approached these late Haydn symphonies with a focus on rhythmic vitality, structural clarity, and the characteristic timbral colors of the late eighteenth-century style. The Concertgebouworkest, known for its rich acoustic legacy and precision, provided a nuanced interpretation that balanced traditional symphonic warmth with Harnoncourt's distinct, energetic research-driven methodology. Upon its release, the recording was recognized for its scholarly rigor and the dynamic contrast Harnoncourt drew from the ensemble.