F. J. Haydn: Symphonies 44, 88 & 104

Here is an excellent budget-priced collection of three great Haydn symphonies. The earliest of them, No. 44, dates from the composer's so-called "Sturm und Drang" ("storm and stress") period, when Haydn explored the tense, angry potential of minor keys and experimental musical forms. The nickname comes from the story that Haydn asked that the slow movement be performed at his own funeral. Symphony No. 88 is one of his most famous, while No. 104, the very last, incorporates into its final movement the cries of street vendors Haydn heard on his last trip to London in 1795. The performances are both expert and characterful.--David Hurwitz