It’s hard to go wrong with the New Esterházy Quartet playing Haydn. And when you add soprano Christine Brandes to the mix, you know the stars are aligned for a great concert. The NEQ are playing two late Haydn masterworks from Op. 76 and 74, and Brandes is singing two opera scenes from the composer’s London sojourn. If you’re not familiar with Haydn’s vocal writing, you’re not alone; hearing some of it is a pleasure that you’ll want more of, once you’ve had the first taste.
Michael Zwiebach is the senior editor/content manager for SFCV. He assigns all articles and content, manages the writing staff, and does editing. A member of SFCV from the beginning, Michael holds a Ph.D. in music history from the University of California, Berkeley.