This disc by
Ferenc Fricsay and the Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester performing two Haydn symphonies has several things going for it and several things going against it. On the plus side, it has the great Hungarian conductor performing Haydn's Symphonies No. 44 and No. 98 live, two works he also recorded in the studio with the RIAS Symphonie-Orchester for Deutsche Grammophon at about the same time. The No. 44 here was recorded in October 1953, four months after
Fricsay recorded it in the studio, while the No. 98 here was recorded in June 1952, 15 months before he recorded it in the studio. This means it has
Fricsay at his freshest and most impulsive, leading performances bursting with drive and energy. On the minus side, it has the Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester and not the RIAS Symphonie-Orchester. It takes the Cologne players a minute or two before they settle into a steady tempo in both works, and even after that, they too often slide out of sync, resulting in a sloppy pair of performances. For fans of the conductor who've already heard his DG studio recording of these works and are interested in hearing what he did with them live, these recordings will provide the answers. But most other listeners will probably want to check out the studio performances first. Audite's monaural radio sound is raw but natural, dim but honest.