FRANZ KOGLMANN (b.1947): Nocturnal Walks (exxj ensemble xx. jahrhundert; Peter Bruwik), JOSEPH HAYDN (1732-1809): Symphony No. 27 in G (Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento; Gustav Kuhn).

Description: Koglmann's Nocturnal Walks are only tenuously connected to Haydn's symphony; the genesis of the work was a commission for a piece for the city of Sibiu, which has connections to Haydn's work and the essayist and aphorist E.M.Cioran. Koglmann incorporates references to the Haydn, including some actual quotations, but mainly the work consists of two components; the speaking voice of Cioran presented against an uneventful musical backdrop, a kind of recurring promenade (translations of his comments are printed in the booklet), and an entertaining series of musical vignettes paying tribute to Koglmann's background in both jazz and concert music. Sometimes the music sounds like jazz - of the 'cool', structured ensemble type (proportionally, this predominates); sometimes it is nearer to the synthetic nightclub style of a Weill, and at others, a pastiche of classical or romantic styles appears. It ends up not having terribly much to do with Haydn, but it's very well done, and hugely enjoyable.