Concert treat for Haydn buffs at finale

The final concert of the 2012 English Haydn Festival must have been gratifying for the organisers for I observed the largest audience of the week and found the pre-concert dining tent full of knowledgeable enthusiasts eagerly discussing the music.

Though well-informed, they might not, however, have known much about Haydn's neglected Symphony No.5 which began the concert. Violinist Simon Standage again replaced the indisposed conductor Anthony Halstead, directing a fine performance of this rarely performed early work from the leader's desk.

Standage's skill has been very evident throughout the festival – only a few hours earlier he had led excellent performances of string quartets in an out of town concert at Acton Round.

Saturday's concert included the well-known Haydn Cello Concerto in D, given a solid performance by Pavel Serbin who had excelled as leading cellist in all previous concerts.

Standage further confirmed his musical abilities by playing the solo part in the teenage Haydn's A major Violin Concerto. This is a simple piece using only soloist, strings and harpsichord but was a tribute to Standage's immaculate intonation. The final work was a delight for Haydn buffs – the serious and highly dramatic 80th Symphony. Daring by nature it demands fierce string playing achieved with immaculate skill and the finale is a real challenge for the players.

I enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and heard only one criticism from the audience– the festival does not last long enough.

Antony Hodgson