Ahead of Australian Haydn Ensemble’s 2024 season-closing performances, we talk to AHE’s Artistic Director Skye McIntosh about Haydn’s Passion and what we can expect to experience from it.

Limelight: Looking at the program, Haydn’s Passion strikes as a concert of many moods. What led you to bring these particular works together?

Skye McIntosh: I’ve always been fascinated by the contrasts of light and dark in Haydn’s music, and this program reflects the intense emotional landscape of the late 18th century – a time when composers like Haydn and Mozart were pushing boundaries and exploring extremes.

Each piece on this program offers a distinct emotional lens. Haydn’s Symphony No. 49, La Passione, captures a profound sense of passion; it’s brooding, deeply introspective, and incredibly beautiful. It resonates with our times today, as people navigate complex emotions and seek balance. In contrast, Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G major brings a lighter, more playful elegance.

We then shift to C.P.E. Bach’s Symphony in E minor, with its stormy, intense energy, before concluding with Mozart’s Symphony No. 29, which feels like a refreshing breath after the emotional depth of Haydn.

Together, these works create a dynamic arc that speaks to the whole spectrum of human experience, from darkness...