Composed in 1761, the year Joseph Haydn became the court musician for the Esterházy Family (with whom he stayed for more than thirty years), Symphonies No. 6, 7 and 8 form a unique trilogy in the history of music and are, according to musicologist Marc Vignal, Haydn's first masterpieces in this field and probably even for symphonies in general. Haydn put all his theory and know-how into the compositions, at a time when he was still being tested by the Prince, having to meet overwhelming specifications that would give any musician today nightmares. In these three gems of concise, virtuosic composing, Haydn distributes solos to all the musicians of the orchestra, including the double bass and bassoon, instruments which were not accustomed to this kind of exercise. It is a fiesta of sonic garlands, as found in the ancient baroque "concerto grosso", alternating with dark, deeply moving passages. The subtitles, the only ones Haydn himself gave to his symphonies, "Le Matin", "Le Midi", "Le Soir", were suggested and even commissioned by Prince Paul Anton to describe an allegory of the "Hours of the Day" and, above all, the three stages of life. Recorded in 2019 in the splendid Apollo Hall of Eszterháza Castle in Fertöd, where Haydn wrote many symphonies (though not these ones), this recording by the Orfeo Orchestra of Budapest - not to be confused with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra - conducted by György Vashegyi obviously has an undeniably authentic feel. © François Hudry/Qobuz