Listening to Mozart and Haydn is like taking a journey back to the roots of the symphony. Not to its absolute birth, but to the pioneers who, with their dedication and innovative ideas, elevated the genre to one of the most significant in classical music.

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When Haydn arrived in London in early 1791, he couldn't have chosen a better place. London was a thriving, affluent city, and its audience eagerly sought the latest musical offerings. Oxford University offered Haydn an honorary doctorate on his arrival, and the composer conducted his 92nd Symphony at its presentation. He would later confide to a friend: "I felt very foolish in my toga. But I owe a lot to this doctorate; I might even say everything!" A few years later, Haydn again lived up to the London audience's high expectations with his Symphony No 103, including the stunning intro for timpani solo: "as usual, the symphony had strokes of genius, both in melody and harmony."

In 1781, Mozart decided to make his mark in bustling Vienna composing an impressive 15 piano concertos in just four years, including Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466. More than just another work in the list, it is a pioneering piece with a fat nod to the up-and-coming nineteenth century. The success of its premiere is evident from Joseph Haydn's reaction, who attended the concert: "Mozart is undoubtedly the most respected musician of his time!".