The renowned Italian conductor Giovanni Antonini is Artistic Director of Haydn 2032, a mammoth project that aims to record and perform the complete symphonies of Joseph Haydn in time for the 300th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Dividing the orchestral honours are Antonini’s own period instrument ensemble Il Giardino Armonico and Kammerorchester Basel who also play on authentic instruments. The series, on the Alpha Classics label, aims to release two volumes each year and has now reached volume 10. With canny couplings that often throw new light on the chosen symphonies, any one of the series would be deserving of Limelight Recording of the Month, but here we’ve chosen the latest (with Il Giardino Armonico) comprising Haydn’s Symphonies Nos 6, 7 and 8 (Le Matin, Le Midi and Le Soir) complemented by Mozart’s Serenata Notturna. Clive Paget caught up with the conductor to find out what draws him to Haydn and his world.

Many people will be more familiar with you as a conductor of earlier music than Haydn. What led you to take an interest...