Haydn is a composer who is often taken for granted. Although his name is historically among the greatest, he stands in the shadow of Mozart and Beethoven—two composers who greatly admired Haydn and were influenced by him. Haydn was a pioneer, a rule-breaker, a prankster, and a refined punk. His music is full of wit and inventiveness, and many of his works are infused with humor, surprises, and theatrical elements.
In this programme, Hyung-ki Joo has taken Haydn’s original music and applied his own love of theatre and humour to Haydn’s original musical intentions, in order to enrich and amplify the experience for today’s audience. The concert begins, in a sense, backwards—with the final movement of Haydn’s Symphony No. 60, “Il Distratto,” which means “The Distracted One.” The music starts in Haydn’s typically cheerful manner, but hardly has it begun before there are several distractions to deal with. Will the orchestra manage to maintain its focus and get off to a good start?