Paavo Järvi and the musicians of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen come to realize that Haydn is a much-misunderstood genius. His hallmark is not only that he practically invented the classical symphony, but also that he lent it musical depth through subtle humor. Haydn laid the foundations for the symphony genre's enduring popularity over the centuries. At the heart of this documentary is the orchestra's work on Haydn's Symphony No. 93 in D major (1792). It is the finale of a Haydn project spanning several years which saw the orchestra and conductor perform all twelve London symphonies and record them for CD in the orchestra's converted rehearsal room. The film shows the passion and precision with which the musicians interpret Joseph Haydn's music. Paavo Järvi exudes his enthusiasm for the undervalued composer and the musicians rhapsodize about their special "Haydn moments”. They talk about the challenges of interpretation, the joys of playing in concert and the stresses and strains of the exacting recording sessions. Recording producer Philip Traugott reveals his personal tricks for achieving the best possible results during recording.

We also accompany Paavo Järvi to his home country Estonia and to the Pärnu Music Festival, which he founded in 1992. Backstage, he meets his father, conductor Neeme Järvi, who has a very special connection to Joseph Haydn. He had just finished recording Haydn's London Symphonies when the family had to flee the former Soviet Union in 1980 - Estonia was part of the Soviet Union until 1991. Those recordings were never released. Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809) is regarded as the inventor and developer of the symphonic form - he provided the basis for all the symphonic composers who followed.

 

Haydn himself wrote 107 symphonies. The best known of these are the twelve so-called "London Symphonies”, which he composed in England between 1792 and 1795. Paavo Järvi considers these symphonies to be genre-defining: "The last symphonies of Haydn, the London Symphonies, are really the kind of perfect prototypes for everything that we now consider a classical symphony." The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen was founded by music students in 1980. From the very beginning, the orchestra was organized on a democratic and independent basis. Today it plays in the Champions League of classical music.

Paavo Järvi has been artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen since 2004. The Estonian-American conductor has played a key role in the orchestra's international success. Grammy award-winner Philip Traugott has been an important companion of Paavo Järvi for more than thirty years. The US-American works as a recording producer for all the major classical music labels and is himself a trained violinist and conductor. "The Haydn Expedition” is a treat for both music aficionados and newcomers to classical music - visually stunning, informative and entertaining. Part 1/2