11th Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony in E flat major Hoboken directory I: 11 wrote Joseph Haydn to 1760/61 during his period of employment with Count Morzin. Contrary to the usual form, the work begins with the slow movement, and the final movement is no longer a lightweight “sweep”.

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

Joseph Haydn composed the Symphony Hoboken Directory I: 11 around 1760/61 while he was employed by Count Morzin.

The full sequence slow - fast - dance movement (minuet) - quickly determined by that of the late Baroque Kirchensonate and is under Haydn Sinfonien even at no. 5 , No. 18th , no. 21 , no. 22 , no. 34 and no 49th represented . In contrast to the four-movement church sonata, the third position is not a slow movement, but a minuet (Symphony No. 18 is only three movements). In agreement with the church sonata, however, all movements in the above-mentioned symphonies are kept in the same key (in symphony no.11 only the trio is in the dominant key of B flat major), and in symphony no.11, as in church sonatas, approaches to Polyphony.

Symphonies Nos. 5 and 11 are highlighted among Haydn's earliest symphonies:

“The two symphonies 5 and 11 differ fundamentally from those of the Italian type: they appear far more personal, more conflictual and deeply emotionally charged (...). The two opening movements, Adagio ma non troppo (Symphony 5) and Adagio cantabile (Symphony 11), and thus the first really slow movements in Haydn's symphonic oeuvre, noticeably surpass the middle movements of the other early symphonies in terms of emotional expression. "

"The fact that some of his early symphonies - such as Nos. 5 and 11 - seem more carefully worked out than others could be due to the fact that Haydn perhaps had more time to compose these symphonies."

To the music

Instrumentation: two oboes , two horns , two violins , viola , cello , double bass . At that time, a bassoon was used to reinforce the bass voice, even without separate notation . On the participation of a harpsichord - continuos are competing views in Haydn's symphonies.

Performance time: approx. 20 minutes (depending on compliance with the prescribed repetitions)

With the terms of the sonata form used here, it should be noted that this scheme was designed in the first half of the 19th century (see there) and can therefore only be transferred to a work composed around 1760/61 with restrictions. - 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 cantabile

E flat major, 2/4 time, 81 bars

The sentence has a calm, almost meditative character. The strings dominate, the horns accompany the sound filling in some places (but remain in the background), the oboes are silent.

The four-bar first theme with its falling sixteenth-note triplets is first introduced by the 2nd violin piano, accompanied only by the measured accompaniment in the bass. Then the 1st violin repeats the theme a fifth higher. From bar 8 onwards, both violins play the theme, the first violin then descends in falling triplet chains over almost two octaves. The target point B as the keynote of the now established dominant is emphasized three times with forte piano contrasts. - The beginning of the Adagio, with its restriction to the strings and the staggered thematic entries, is reminiscent of the beginning of a fugue , "entirely in the style of a baroque trio" .

After these somewhat “old-fashioned starting bars” , the 1st violin takes over the voice guidance in the second theme on a triplet accompaniment of the 2nd violin with its vocal melody ( cantilena ). This is one of Haydn's first lyrical singing themes. A dialogue motif of both violins, again with falling triplets and tone repetition, is followed by the final group from bar 27, in which both violins now play the sixteenth triplets in parallel for the first time - at the end of the exposition the other strings join in in unison. Forte piano contrasts also occur in the final group, similar to those in bars 14/15 before the second theme.

The middle section begins with the first theme in the 2nd violin, the 1st violin, like the bass, plays a striding accompanying figure similar to the beginning of the sentence. A variant of the forte piano motif from bars 14/15 leads to the longer passage with sigh-like second steps in the descending triplet chains of the 1st violin. After a dialogue between the low and high strings, the recapitulation begins in bar 57.

The recapitulation is slightly different from the exposition. The 1st violin plays an opposing vocal accompaniment on the first theme, and the horn gives a short splash of color at the beginning of the theme. The theme is not repeated; instead, after a variant of the forte piano motif from bars 14/15 (but now without this dynamic contrast), the second theme already follows. The dialogue motif has hardly changed, the final group has been extended by one measure. In contrast to the exposition, the unison turn is missing, but the movement is breathed in pianissimo. The exposition, the middle section and the recapitulation are repeated.

Howard Chandler Robbins Landon criticizes the "excessive" use of triplets, the coarse orchestration in particular of the strings, and believes that the movement resembles the earliest divertimenti .

Second movement: Allegro

E flat major, 2/2 time (alla breve), 161 measures

Beginning of the Allegro

The first theme (main theme) consists of a five-tone motif in half and whole notes that form a diatonic ascent in the range of a fourth . This theme bears strong similarities to the beginning of the overture to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's sacred singspiel “ The debt of the first commandment ”, which Köchelverzeichnis 35 composed in 1767.

The transition to the second theme is characterized on the one hand by the march-like motif with tone repetition, which loosens the rhythm with its two eighth notes, on the other hand by tremolo and large interval jumps of the 1st violin. The second theme in the dominant B flat major represents a variant of the first theme: the 1st violin takes up the theme and spins it on, the 2nd violin plays an opposing voice (other instruments are silent). The immediately following closing group brings the theme again in the bass and ends the exposition with falling runs, which are interrupted by two half notes in unison ("running motif", the half notes can be derived from measure 2 in the first theme).

Haydn begins the development as a variant of the main theme, which is now provided with a countermovement. The running motif from the final group leads to another variant of the theme, but now an octave lower, in piano and in B flat minor. Surprisingly, the theme then starts again as a sham replay, as at the beginning of the sentence in the tonic in E flat major, including the “marching motif”. From bar 88 the marching motif is combined with the running motif, from bar 96 the ascending line of the theme is sequenced in half notes upwards , and from bar 102 the violins play the running motif alternately.

Haydn composed the recapitulation from bar 112 with the three-part entry of the 2nd violin, 1st violin and bass. The rest of the recapitulation is similar to that of the exposition. The exposition, development and recapitulation are each repeated once.

Third movement: Minuet

E flat major, 3/4 time, with trio 60 bars

The minuet is in a gallant, but also somewhat festive style. The opening figure with its ascending line is reminiscent of the Allegro, the triplets and the unison ending of the first part of the Adagio. In addition, dotted rhythms, an interruption of the phrases with pauses and a forte-piano contrast are characteristic. The second part continues the theme of the first in the tutti and also contains a contrasting piano passage for the violins only. This is missing when the first part is revisited like a reprise, and the unison final turn is also missing.

The trio is in B flat major and is designed for strings only. Its three-layered rhythm (1st violin, 2nd violin and viola with bass) is reminiscent of the Andante of Symphony No. 4 .

“In the third movement, the minuet, the trio captivates with its original rhythmic design. In the three-part piece, written only for strings, the key points of the bar are repeatedly called into question by a syncopating opposing voice (...). This amusing syncopation has an unmistakable effect on the theme of the lively Presto finale. "

Fourth movement: Presto

E flat major, 2/4 time, 119 bars

Beginning of Prestos

The Presto with its “nervous energy” has a special weight within Haydn's earliest symphonies insofar as it (like the final movement of Symphony No. 5) dispenses with the lightweight “sweeping” gesture in 3/8 time that was customary at the time , but is characterized by a larger scope and stronger motivic work.

The main theme (bars 1 to 7) is performed piano by the strings with voice guidance in the 1st violin: It consists of a syncopated descending line of four tones (thus to the first theme of the Allegro or through the syncopation of the trio of the minuet reminding) with "Schleiferfloskel" (thirty-second phrase with suggestion and trill), which is repeated twice, varied. In bar 8, the whole orchestra begins: first with interval jumps downwards and runs, then with a further motif consisting of a triple tone repetition and a closing trill turn. A variant of the trill figure is then sequenced upwards, with Haydn changing to the dominant B flat major.

In B flat major the head of the main theme appears again, only to be replaced after two bars by the interplay of the Schleifer clauses. Tremolo-like running figures then dominate until the end of the exposition.

The development subjects the elements of the exposition to a relatively intensive processing process: First, the syncope effect of the main theme is reinforced by the staggered use of the instruments, then the bass with a motif derived from bar 8 under the tremolo of the violins briefly takes over the vocal lead. Another appearance of the theme in minor leads to the processing of the tone repetition motif.

The recapitulation from bar 82 is changed, especially at the beginning, compared to the exposition with “almost spectacular break-ins” by contrasting minor twists in the forte. Otherwise the structure is similar to the exposure. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

“The final movement of Symphony 11 (...) deserves the greatest interest, because in it the energy of the second movement increases to an excitement that almost seems like an anticipation of certain tendencies from Haydn's work in the late sixties (...). The interesting topic receives its stamp from the rushed syncope. (...) In this extremely concentrated movement, too, the theme is changed in the recapitulation by inserting a contrasting eighth note motif in the forte between its individual phrases: an absolutely unique process in Haydn's early work. "

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  2. ↑ a b c d e Wolfgang Marggraf : Haydn's earliest symphonies (1759-1761). The symphonies of the "Sonata-da-chiesa" type. http://www.haydn-sinfonien.de/text/chapter2.2.html , accessed January 30, 2013.
  3. ^ Michael Walter: Haydn's symphonies. A musical factory guide. CH Beck-Verlag, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-406-44813-3 , p. 27.
  4. ↑ Examples: a) James Webster: On the Absence of Keyboard Continuo in Haydn's Symphonies. In: Early Music Volume 18 No. 4, 1990, pp. 599-608); b) Hartmut Haenchen : Haydn, Joseph: Haydn's orchestra and the harpsichord question in the early symphonies. Booklet text for the recordings of the early Haydn symphonies. , online (accessed June 26, 2019), to: H. Haenchen: Early Haydn Symphonies , Berlin Classics, 1988–1990, cassette with 18 symphonies; c) Jamie James: He'd Rather Fight Than Use Keyboard In His Haydn Series . In: New York Times , October 2, 1994 (accessed June 25, 2019; showing various positions by Roy Goodman , Christopher Hogwood , HC Robbins Landon and James Webster). Most orchestras with modern instruments currently (as of 2019) do not use a harpsichord continuo. Recordings with harpsichord continuo exist. a. by: Trevor Pinnock ( Sturm und Drang symphonies , archive, 1989/90); Nikolaus Harnoncourt (No. 6-8, Das Alte Werk, 1990); Sigiswald Kuijken (including Paris and London symphonies ; Virgin, 1988-1995); Roy Goodman (e.g. Nos. 1-25, 70-78; Hyperion, 2002).
  5. ^ A b c Walter Lessing: The symphonies of Joseph Haydn, in addition: all masses. A series of broadcasts on Südwestfunk Baden-Baden 1987-89, published by Südwestfunk Baden-Baden in 3 volumes. Volume 1, Baden-Baden 1989, pp. 51 to 52.
  6. ↑ a b c The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
  7. ^ Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, pp. 218, 221.
  8. ↑ Robbins Landon 1955 p. 221: “The Adagio of No. 11 is burdened with excessive use of triplets, the orchestration is rather rude, particularly as regards the strings; and the horns are scarcely used at all. The movement has a certain resemblance to the very earliest divertimenti. "
  9. ↑ a b c Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 , p. 139.
  10. ↑ Hob.I: 11 Symphony in E flat major. Information text on Symphony No. 11 of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  11. ^ Antony Hodgson: The Music of Joseph Haydn. The Symphonies. The Tantivy Press, London 1976, ISBN 0-8386-1684-4 , p. 50.

Web links, notes

See also