104th Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony Hoboken Directory I: 104 in D major was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1795. The work is one of the famous “London Symphonies” and sometimes has the nickname “London” or “Salomon”, which was not by Haydn.

General

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)

For general information on the London Symphonies, see Symphony No. 93 . Haydn composed Symphony No. 104 in 1795 as part of his second trip to London. It is his last symphony. The premiere took place on May 4, 1795 during a benefit concert that Haydn gave for himself at the Haymarket Theater in London . At that time Haydn was already 63 years old. Haydn probably composed the work in March / April 1795 in London. On the title page of the autograph he wrote: "795 The 12th which I have composed in England Sinfonia in D II" . The composer writes in his notebook about the premiere:

“On the 4th of May 1795 I gave my benefit concert in the Haymarket Theater. The hall was full of select company. a) First part of the military symphony ; Aria [...]; Concert [...]; Duet [...] from me; a new symphony in D, the twelfth and last of the English; b) second part of the military symphony; Aria […], Concerto […], Scena nuova from me, Mad. Banti (She sang very scanty). The whole company was extremely happy and so was I. I made four thousand guilders that evening. You can only do something like that in England. "

The Morning Chronicle reported the premiere on May 6, 1795:

“More than half of the pieces listed were by Haydn, and they provided unquestionable evidence of the greatness and versatility of his abilities. […] Haydn expressed his gratitude to his well-meaning friends by writing a new symphony for the occasion, which some of the best experts believe would surpass all his other works in every movement in abundance, richness and majesty. A gentleman whose musical knowledge, taste and profound judgment are highly valued expressed the following opinion: In the next fifty years the composers would be little better than imitators of Haydn and produce little more than a second infusion. We hope this prophecy turns out to be false, but the odds seem to confirm the prediction. "

King's Theater on Haymarket

Haydn first performed the symphony in Vienna on December 18, 1795. The nicknames “London”, “Salomon” (or in older literature: “with the bagpipes”) sometimes used for the work do not come from Haydn.

Symphony No. 104 is sometimes referred to as the ideal type of the classical symphony. On the other hand, there are tendencies in the Andante to expand the “classical” set of variations, and the first set also shows e.g. B. due to the similarity of the two main themes, the thematic richness of the exposition and other details, some special features. The first movement could possibly be described as “one of the clearest sonata movements by Haydn” , “if one disregards the form theory of the 19th century”.

The work is often praised in the literature as the "coronation" of the London symphonies or of all of Haydn's symphonic works:

  • The symphony as one of Haydn's three best instrumental pieces.
  • “Probably one of the most important” works in Haydn's symphony.
  • The symphonies No. 103 and 104 as a “symphonic legacy” of Haydn.
  • Haydn wrote the work “probably knowing that it would be his last symphony. In Vienna there was simply no framework for such demanding instrumental music; there were neither concert series nor suitable orchestras, let alone an interested public. So it stands to reason that he tried to summarize his immense experience in this genre once again. "
  • "It is, so to speak, the sum total of Haydn's compositional skills, not only in terms of craftsmanship and contrapuntal, but also in the typical Haydn expression of the ability to harmonize contrapuntal brilliance with a popular musical idiom."

To the music

Instrumentation: two flutes , two oboes , two clarinets , two bassoons , two horns , two trumpets , timpani , two violins , viola , cello , double bass . There is documentary evidence that Haydn conducted his symphonies at the London concerts initially from the harpsichord and from 1792 from the “ Piano Forte ”, as was the performance practice at the time. This is an indication of the use of a keyboard instrument (i.e. harpsichord or fortepiano) as a continuo in the "London Symphonies".

Performance time: approx. 25-30 minutes.

When it comes to the sonata form used here, it should be noted that this model was only designed at the beginning of the 19th century (see there). - The description and structure of the sentences given here is to be understood as a suggestion. Depending on the point of view, other delimitations and interpretations are also possible.

First movement: Adagio - Allegro

Adagio: D minor, 4/4 time, bars 1–16

Opening fanfare of the Adagio

Haydn opens the symphony with a powerful signal fanfare in unison- fortissimo. Due to the restriction to fifth and fourth , the tonality (major or minor) remains open at first. The characteristic dotted rhythm is also continued in the subsequent four-bar piano passage for strings and bassoon in D minor, with the bass first continuing the rhythm as a second upwards, answered by a sigh-like second downwards on the 1st violin. The repetition follows in a chromatic variant in F major, which finally leads back to the third, shortened appearance in D minor. The introduction ends “openly” on the dominant A major.

Allegro: D major, 2/2 time (alla breve), measures 17–294

Anterior to the main topic

The exposition initially surprises with its relatively simple and clearly structured structure (e.g. in comparison to the first movement of Symphony No. 103). The first theme (or main theme, bars 17–31), which is introduced by the strings piano, has a calm and vocal character. It is structured periodically from a front and a trailer of eight bars each (with further subdivision into smaller motifs, e.g. the knocking motif with four-fold tone repetition). The following forte-tutti block of the transition is also distinguished by several motifs that are relatively loosely strung together: motif 1 (measure 32 ff. With sixteenth-note grinder), motif 2 (measure 40 ff. With brass fanfare and chromatically falling line), motif 3 (Measure 50 ff., Variant of the knocking motif from the main theme). With eighth runs, Haydn changes to the double dominant E major and ends the first section (main movement) with chord strikes on E and a general pause as a caesura.

Then the side movement (bars 65 ff.) Begins piano, instead of a contrasting second theme, the strings - now also with woodwinds - play the first theme transposed to the dominant A major. Again in block form, a forte section follows from bar 80, which reminds of the knock motif with its tone repetition (initially three times, later four times). In addition, the section also contains a unison shift (C sharp, D flat with trills, E) and syncopation .

The final group (bar 101 ff.) Begins piano as a falling triad motif (is sometimes viewed as a “second theme” or “second subordinate movement”), which is then enriched with chromatics and leads to a forte tutti block with syncopation. The exposition ends with chord melodies in A major and is repeated.

The execution (cycle 124 ff.) Begins with the knock piano motif, which is led by B Minor by the instruments and dominates the thematic work execution. In a piano passage, the final group motif from measure 101 is inserted from bars 145 to 154 (with a knocking motif in the bassoon). A dramatic outbreak in fortissimo (bar 172) leads to F sharp major and via chromatic heightening into an energetically repeated A major seventh chord, with which the development ends “openly” and with a general pause.

The recapitulation (bars 193 ff.) Is varied compared to the exposition: the main theme is followed by only the flutes and oboes. Motif 2 and Motif 3 of the transition correspond to the exposition, but the knock motif is emphasized in its original form (ie as in the main theme) in largely unison. After a ebb, which for a short time (two general pauses) almost gives the impression of a break, the "second theme" follows, which in turn represents a variant of the main theme, now with a dialogical beginning and chromaticism. The final group is followed by a coda that ends the movement with the knocking motif and fanfares from the winds.

Ludwig Finscher thinks that the Allegro "is probably the thematically richest sonata movement that Haydn ever wrote" .

Second movement: Andante

G major, 2/4 time, 152 bars, set of variations

Variation theme of the Andante
  • Section 1 (bars 1–37): The theme is first introduced by the strings piano and repeated (bars 1–8). The material is then spun away briefly. Bar 17 ff. Takes up the theme again, in which the bassoon now also participates. The melody then leads via chromatic, sustained chords to the subdominant C major, whereby the movement comes to rest through the sustained note values ​​with a melancholy timbre. This is followed by a return from A minor to G major. A “final group” (bars 33 ff.) With the leading 1st violin, counterpart-like bassoon and sustained G in the bass ends the presentation of the main theme in the broader sense. The second part is also repeated.
  • Section 2 (bars 38–73, variation 1): in G minor, the woodwinds begin with the theme. The continuation then takes place in a passionate fortissimo outburst, with the 1st violin and the woodwinds playing in dialogue. Haydn changes to B flat major (bar 46 ff.) And lets the music break off with a general pause (bar 56) after an evenly flowing string movement. The theme then appears in the string piano in B flat major, but after just three bars it falls into a forte continuation that changes from C minor to D minor. The minor changes back to major through an even ticking movement.
  • Section 3 (bars 74–121, variation 2): Appearance of the theme in its original form in G major, now with the participation of the flute (bars 74–81), then a variation of section 1: first with a prominent, dotted (marching) rhythm , then in the repetition of the theme in far-reaching movement of the strings with evenly flowing sextuplets , which lead to the harmonic distant D flat major, where the movement comes to rest with a fermata (bar 113). Reinterpreted as C sharp minor, the woodwinds respond with a fantasy-like, slower formulation of the theme, which in turn creates a thoughtful, melancholy timbre.
  • Section 4 (bars 122–140, variation 3): After the return to the tonic in G major, another variation of section 1 follows: First the main theme is presented with triplets, the continuation via C major (analogous to bar 24) has been expanded and includes a flute solo.
  • Section 5 (bar 141 – end), coda: The final section of section 1, which was previously left out in the variations, is now “handed in” and expanded with somewhat dissonant chromatics (the third melancholy passage in the movement). At the very end, the head of the final motif appears in the horn, the movement breathed in pianissimo.

Compared to the "classic" set of variations z. For example, from Symphony No. 103 there is a tendency that is beginning to dissolve the traditional form. B. Hear Variation 1 as a development and the beginning of Variation 2 as a recapitulation of a sonata movement. The thematic developments and the contrasts within the theme "so that the form of the set of variations dissolves in favor of musical content" are also atypical for a classic set of variations .

Third movement: Menuetto. Allegro

D major, 3/4 time, with trio 104 bars

Theme of the minuet

The minuet is kept at a very fast tempo (Allegro) and thus points in the direction of the scherzo of symphonies of the Romantic era. The dance-like, eight-bar main theme is characterized by double tone repetition and its accentuated upbeats or the accents to the otherwise unstressed third beat. It ends with a trill and is first introduced forte by the whole orchestra, then repeated on the piano (i.e. the repetition is written out). The second part of the minuet initially continues the theme and remains briefly stuck in the two-bar repetition of the prelude (another two bars in the bass). The “recapitulation” of the theme (bar 35 ff.) Is announced by a drum roll. The theme is now embellished with an eighth movement. The trill figure is taken up again, but the prelude leads to a surprising two-bar general pause . The final formulation with the opening motif is then introduced as a long, again two-bar trill.

Theme of the trio

The trio is unusually in the key of B major, which is relatively distant from D major ( parallel to the minor subdominant), whereby the first bar third in the two opening bars could also be heard as D minor. The country- like theme with a flowing eighth note movement is played by oboe or bassoon and violin, accompanied by pizzicato quarters from the other strings. The beginning of the second part is polyphonic: the upbeat opening motif moves through the oboe, 2nd violin and flute, plus the continuous eighth note movement in bassoon, 1st violin and oboe. The opening motif then appears again when the main melody is taken up again and at the end of the trio. In order to get back from B flat major to the basic key of D major, Haydn wrote a ten bar “return line”, which is initially also shaped by the opening motif.

Fourth movement: Finale. Spiritoso

D major, 2/2 time (alla breve), 334 measures

First subject of the fourth movement

The movement opens piano with the sustained low D of the horns and cellos. After two bars of this drone bass (which continues to bar 9 or then in the double bass / bassoon to bar 18) the first violins perform the first theme, initially unanimously. The theme consists of three different motifs, from which, with the exception of the second theme, the rest of the movement is developed: Motif 1 with second and third down, motif 2 with tone repeater and eighth phrase, motif 3 with one second up in half notes.

From bar 11 onwards, the other strings also join in and the 1st oboe also leads the part. The 2nd violin plays an opposing voice with a small eighth barrel (here referred to as motif 4, bars 13 and 17). The theme allegedly goes back to the Croatian folk song "Oj Jelena", but it is also possible that Haydn's melody turned into a folk song in reverse. Due to the drone bass, which always appears in connection with the melody in the further course of the movement, the character of the theme is reminiscent of a bagpipe melody. The forte-tutti block from bar 19 initially takes up the dance-like, trudging motif 2 of the theme (this section can also be used as a follow-up to the theme). A passage with eighth runs in the violins leads back to the sustained D from the beginning, but now loudly highlighted in unison by all instruments including drum roll. Over this drone bass the theme is then led through the instruments with countervotes-like eighth-way up in the 1st violin. After several accents on motif 3, the theme appears again in the dominant A major (bar 55 ff.), Again with an opposing voice (now 1st violin analogous to bar 11 ff.). In the piano block from bar 65, the 1st violin or bassoon and viola take up motif 4 (eighth barrel), which is expanded from bar 73 to a virtuoso running passage ("whirlwind").

The second theme (bars 84 ff.) Begins as a turning point after a general pause. It contrasts with its lyrical, singing character and the relatively “unstable” harmonic relationships ( circle of fifths down: F sharp → b, E → A) to the “rough” cheerful first theme and is performed by strings and bassoon. The final group (bars 102 ff.) Again draws on the motifs of the first theme, although these are sometimes varied rhythmically.

The development (bars 119 ff.) Initially suggests polyphonic processing through the staggered use of motif 1, which, however, merges into a relatively loose sequence of motifs of the exposition: Motif 4 (bars 129 ff., From bar 133 also in countermovement) with Transition to continuous eighth notes (bar 139 ff.), The accent passage (bar 155 ff. Analogous to bar 44 ff.) And the second theme (bar 16 ff.), Which with its whole and half notes in piano / pianissimo to one Section is expanded with ghostly, obscured timbre. The recapitulation follows relatively abruptly (bars 195 ff.).

The recapitulation follows the exposition structurally, but is partly varied (e.g. the first theme in the repetition from bar 221 is played by bassoons, horns and the bass section). The shortened final section turns into a coda, which first introduces elements of the first theme in the flutes and oboes and then changes to a surprising outburst in D minor. After virtuoso eighth runs, Haydn emphasizes the first theme again in fortissimo over the drone bass (leading part: flutes, 1st violin; opposing voices: clarinets, 2nd violin; viola and cellos have a further melodic line). After a few bars of chord melody, the movement closes with a simple “question and answer” formulation that contains the second step from motif 3.

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ a b c d e Jörg Handstein: Symphony in D major, Hob. I: 104. In: Renate Ulm (Ed.): Haydn's London Symphonies. Origin - interpretation - effect. On behalf of the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation. Joint edition of Deutscher Taschenbuch-Verlag Munich and Bärenreiter-Verlag Kassel, 2007, ISBN 978-3-7618-1823-7 , pp. 211-216
  2. ↑ Holland (1987) refers to Robbins Landon who, based on an article in the Morning Chronicle of April 15, 1795, is also considering a world premiere on April 13, 1795
  3. ↑ the year 1795 is meant
  4. ^ The twelfth, which I composed in England
  5. ^ Anthony van Hoboken: Joseph Haydn. Thematic-bibliographical catalog raisonné, volume I. Schott-Verlag, Mainz 1957, 848 pp.
  6. ↑ She sang very mediocre
  7. ^ A b Ernst Prätorius: Audit report. In: Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 104 (London) D major. Edition Eulenburg No. 409, Ernst Eulenburg Ltd., London / Zurich without a year (pocket score, audit report from December 1936).
  8. ↑ The epithets are also not very specific, since “London” could also apply to the other London symphonies and Johann Peter Salomon , who had recruited Haydn for the London stay, had already given up the concert series he had organized at the time of the premiere, and neither did the work had commissioned.
  9. ↑ so writes z. B. Pahlen (Kurt Pahlen: Symphony of the World. Schweizer Verlagshaus AG, Zurich 1978 (preface from 1966)): “The technical mastery cannot be surpassed. Here and in Mozart's last three symphonies, there are true prime examples of the classical symphony, which fully represent the type and from which the rules of the classical symphony can be derived for all times. "
  10. ↑ Dietmar Holland: Symphony No. 104 in D major . In: Attila Csampai & Dietmar Holland (eds.): The concert guide. Orchestral music from 1700 to the present day. Rowohlt-Verlag, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1987, ISBN 3-8052-0450-7 , pp. 131-133
  11. ^ A b Donald Francis Tovey : Essays in Musical Analysis. Symphonies and other Orchestral Works. - Haydn the Inaccessible. - Symphony in D Major (Salomon, No. 2; chronological List, No. 104). London, 1935-1939, p. 373.
  12. ↑ a b c d e Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 , p. 389 ff.
  13. ↑ Information text of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt (project “Haydn 100 & 7”) on Symphony No. 104, see under web links
  14. ↑ HC Robbins Landon: Joseph Haydn - his life in pictures and documents , Fritz Molden Verlag, Vienna et al., 1981, pp. 123-124
  15. ↑ Koch writes about the use of the harpsichord as an orchestral and continuo instrument around 1802 (!) In his Musikalischen Lexicon , Frankfurt 1802 , under the heading “wing, clavicimbel” (pp. 586–588; please consider that at this time wing = harpsichord  !): “ ... The other genres of this type of keyboard (ie keel instruments , author's note), namely the spinet and the clavicytherium , have completely fallen out of use; the grand piano (ie the harpsichord , author's note) is still used in most of the major orchestras, partly to support the singer with the recitative , partly and mainly to fill in the harmony by means of the figured bass ... being strong penetrating sound makes it (ie the grand piano = harpsichord, author's note) very adept at filling the whole thing with full-voiced music; therefore he will probably compete in major opera houses and bey numerous occupation of votes the rank of very useful orchestral instrument until another instrument of equal strength, but more mildness or flexibility of the sound is invented which to lecture the basso well is sent. ... in clay pieces according to the taste of the time, especially with a weak cast of the voices, ... for some time now the grand piano has been swapped for the weaker, but softer, fortepiano . "
  16. ↑ Even James Webster, one of the main proponents of the anti-harpsichord continuo thesis, takes the London symphonies from his idea that Haydn did not use a harpsichord (or other keyboard instrument, especially fortepiano) for continuo playing (“ And, of course "The argument refers exclusively to pre-London symphonies and performances outside England "; in: James Webster: On the Absence of Keyboard Continuo in Haydn's Symphonies. In: Early Music Band 18 No. 4, 1990, pp. 599-608, here : P. 600). This is because the well-documented fact that Haydn conducted the symphonies from the harpsichord (or pianoforte) usually also meant continuo playing at this time (see quotation from Koch's Musicalisches Lexikon , 1802 in the previous footnote).
  17. ↑ Finscher (2000) uses a different classification with a total of five motifs in the main movement complex up to measure 64.
  18. ↑ Jürgen Mainka: Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 104 in D major Hob. I: 104 (1795). In: Malte Korff (ed.): Concert book orchestral music 1650-1800. Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden / Leipzig 1991, ISBN 3-7651-0281-4 , pp. 395-399
  19. ^ Michael Walter: Haydn's symphonies. A musical factory guide. CH Beck-Verlag, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-406-44813-3 , 128 pp.
  20. ↑ after the Croatian ethnomusicologist Franjo Zaver Kuhav, quoted in Handstein (2007)
  21. ↑ The song tells of Jelena, who cuts clover for her brother's horses. Sheet music example with Renate Kern, Walter Kern: Haydn for school. Singing, making music, moving, creating. A collection of materials for music lessons from the 4th grade. Helbing-Verlag, Rum / Innsbruck 2009, ISBN 978-3-85061-454-2 , p. 30
  22. ↑ Similar in the fourth movement of Symphony No. 82 or in the Trio of Symphony No. 88.
  23. ↑ Bars 19–22 structurally correspond to the second four-bar in the music example by Kern & Kern (2009)
  24. ↑ The beginning interval diminished seventh is striking.
  25. ↑ sustained diminished seventh chord over two bars over bars 181/182, then seventh chord on D, change to F sharp minor and to C sharp with seventh and ninth
  26. ↑ Depending on your point of view, you can also see a bracket to the D minor introduction to the first movement here (and in other places).
  27. ↑ In some editions of the score also “Semper Forte” with accents.

See also

Web links, notes