Soloist: Pieter Wispelwey, cello

Haydn Symphony No 59 in A, 'Fire'

Haydn Cello Concerto in C

Haydn Harpsichord Concerto No 11 in D

Haydn Symphony No 44 in E minor, 'Trauer'

The reputation of the Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) as arguably the world's foremost period-instrument orchestra has only strengthened in recent years under Richard Egarr, their current Music Director. They continue to delight audiences with the breathtaking brilliance of their playing and the crystal clarity of their sound. Here they present a programme of works by the towering genius of 18th-century Classical style, Franz Joseph Haydn.

Known as the 'Father of the Symphony', Haydn composed over 100 examples of the form. AAM perform two of them tonight, both from his Sturm und Drang ('Storm and Stress') period. The symphony No 44 is nicknamed 'Trauer' ('Mourning') from the fact that late in life, Haydn asked for the slow movement of this symphony to be played at his funeral. The nickname of no 59, 'Fire', probably comes from the work's use by Haydn as entr'acte music for a play called The Conflagration, performed at the Esterházy palace in 1774. It is indeed a fiery work, not least with its sudden contrasts in dynamics and orchestration.

Two concertos complete the programme. Supreme Dutch cellist Pieter Wispelwey plays the delightful Cello Concerto in C, a work that was considered lost for good until the manuscript parts were discovered in Prague in 1962 by a librarian in the national museum, while Richard Egarr shows his prodigious keyboard skills in the Harpsichord Concerto No 11 in D.