The Münchener Kammerorchester (Munich Chamber Orchestra or MKO) was founded in 1950 by Christoph Stepp and was soon after taken over by Hans Stadlmair in 1956. Since 1995, the orchestra had been under the imaginative auspices of Christoph Poppen. With Farewell  released on CD by ECM New Series on April 8th, the MKO is conducted by Alexander Liebreich.

For Farewell, the MKO takes on Haydn again. One of their specialties, the orchestra gives Haydn’s No. 39 and No. 45 special treatment. Symphony No. 39 in g minor from 1765 is up first. With a third of Haydn’s symphonic production taking place between the years of 1765 and 1772 (seven symphonies seem to date from this period), it is interesting to see little slices of character and humour in the piece of music.

With No. 39, Haydn begins and pauses almost instantaneously. It is as though the composition starts, restarts, and starts all over again. The MKO’s care with the nuances of the composition is courageous, as Liebrich skilfully conducts with haste and diligence. The music develops movingly, speaking strapping phrases between its pauses. It is almost as though the composition is probing itself.

No. 45, which has earned the nickname “Farewell” from which the album takes its title, is brought more to life by the back-story of the work. Dating from 1772, this piece arrives in a time when Joseph Haydn was spending summers at Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy’s home. The Prince loved his household so much that he used to stretch his “summer” out to extend from February until November. Naturally, this troubled the staff.

When Haydn composed the piece, he fashioned it as a sort of bump out the door. It is constructed as such that the players can make tracks during the closing moments as though scampering from the Prince's home, leaving only two violinists on dimly-lit chairs. As the players snuffed out the candles, the work of art drew its last breath.

MKO moves to different territory with the chamber symphony composition by Isang Yun. Yun, who died in 1995 in Berlin, had as his chief musical concern the development of Korean music through Western musical instruments. With Farewell, the MKO selects Yun’s Chamber Symphony I. The piece of music is filled with elongated notes and flourishing moments, creating a truly vivid piece.

For those with very little knowledge of classical music, these pieces may be somewhat taxing at the outset (as they were for me). All the same, the appeal of the Münchener Kammerorchester lies in their presentation of these works and how they are able to pull out the strengths of the compositions. Haydn’s work is renowned, of course, and Isang Yun’s gorgeous piece sufficiently shares the stage.

Farewell is an intelligent recording, superbly packaged with broad liner notes in English and German. The distinction exhibited in the pieces is a pleasant fit for a complete music experience and the delivery of the composition by Liebreich and the MKO is extraordinary.