Symphonies No 48 En Ut Majeur "Maria Theresia" - Symphonies No 44 En Mi Mineur "Funèbre" - Symphonies No 26 En Ré Mineur "Lamentatione"

This recording features the Bath Festival Orchestra under the direction of Yehudi Menuhin, released on the La Voix de Son Maître label. These symphonies represent a significant portion of Joseph Haydn's middle period, characterized by his move toward the 'Sturm und Drang' aesthetic, where dramatic shifts in minor keys and intense emotional expression replaced the lighter gallant style of earlier classical works.

Yehudi Menuhin’s interpretation of these works in the mid-20th century was part of a broader effort to revitalize interest in Haydn’s symphonic output. Menuhin approached the score with a focus on transparency and period-appropriate texture, a hallmark of his collaboration with the Bath Festival Orchestra. The recording was well-regarded for balancing Haydn's formal precision with the turbulent, darker undercurrents inherent in the 'Lamentatione' and 'Funèbre' symphonies.