19th Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony in D major Hoboken directory I: 19 wrote Joseph Haydn to 1760/61.

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

Joseph Haydn composed the Symphony Hoboken-Directory I: 19 around 1760/61. A performance of Symphony No. 19 (or No. 15 ) was possibly the reason for Haydn's appointment with Prince Paul Anton Esterházy on May 1, 1761.

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. 12 to 15 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 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: Allegro

D major, 3/4 time, 120 bars

Beginning of the Allegro

The first theme (main theme) is eight measures with two four-measure halves. The first half consists of three motifs: Motif A with an ascending D major chord in unison (measure 1/2), motif B with a sixteenth- note double beat figure and tone repeater (measure 2/3), motif C with a falling sixteenth-note figure (measure 3 / 4). The second half of the theme contains motif D (bar 5/6) made up of eighth notes with two rhythmic sixteenth notes and an ascending gesture as well as the closing motif E (bar 7/8) with sixteenth notes and trill reversal. The motifs A to D and their variants are characteristic for the further sentence structure:

The repetition of the first half of the theme in the piano is followed by a tremolo passage forte, then an upward sequencing of motif B of the 1st violin in staggered use to a variant of motif D of the 2nd violin. The second theme in the dominant A major from bar 28 takes up motif C in the alternation of violins and moves with motif B into the final group. This consists - introduced by motif A - of a repeated three-bar figure with horn fanfare (in the rhythm of motif D) and tremolo movement as well as another variant of motif D.

The development begins with the first half of the theme in A major, but moves it back to the tonic in D major quite abruptly. From here Haydn begins a longer, modulating tremolo passage from bar 53 (similar to bar 15), with which the tonic parallel in B minor is reached in bar 60. The subsequent processing of motifs B, A and C remains in B minor for the time being. In the further course of the development, motif B dominates, which is led up to E major and then reaches A major again via an upward sequence with further changes in harmony. Haydn prepares for the reprise with a pianissimo forte contrast.

The recapitulation from bar 83 is structured like the exposition, but the theme is not repeated, instead it merges straight into the tremolo passage. Both parts of the sentence (exposition as well as development and recapitulation) are repeated.

Howard Chandler Robbins Landon (1955) points out the thematic work in the first movement, particularly the role of the material in the first eight bars. Walter Lessing (1989) also emphasizes the motivic work:

“Of the three movements, the first movement deserves special attention because of its compositional unity, which is astonishing for this early period. The technique of motivic development, one of the essential elements of Haydn's style, is already evident here. While the first movements of his very first symphonies mostly only show a more or less loose sequence of different thoughts, in the first movement of No. 19 Haydn tries to give the individual forms greater cohesion by limiting himself to only a few motifs taken from the main theme. "

Second movement: Andante

D minor, 2/4 time, 57 bars

The unusually short movement is only for strings and mostly piano. The main theme with the 1st violin leading the voice is characterized by its prelude with dotted rhythm, the striding eighth note movement in staccato and accentuated leads. The rest of the sentence also has a striding to march-like character.

The topic is repeated, then the opening figure becomes independent. From bar 13 onwards Haydn switched to the tonic parallel in F major. The bass and - as a syncopated voice shifted by an eighth note at a distance of a decimal from the bass - the 2nd violin play descending scales, while the other strings (1st violin and viola) accompany as a repetition in syncope. The final group in pianissimo with triplets ends the exposition.

The implementation varies the sequence of the exposition: First, the topic header is sequenced upwards. The theme is then repeated in the 2nd violin, but the syncopations are now superimposed over the eighth note movement until the syncopation finally dominates in the G minor forte. After the contrasting final group in pianissimo, Haydn changes with the opening figure to A major, which dominantly prepares the entry into the reprise.

The recapitulation is shortened compared to the exposition: the headline goes straight over into the passage with the independent opening figure. Otherwise it corresponds structurally to the exposure. Both parts of the sentence (exposition as well as development and recapitulation) are repeated.

According to Howard Chandler Robbins Landon (1955) the movement (like the Andante of Symphony No. 17 ) has an attractive, somber manner, serious but not tragic. The uniform atmosphere is loosened up by cleverly placed alternations between forte and piano.

Third movement: Presto

D major, 3/8 time, 110 bars

The movement is characterized by three motifs: Motif 1 with the beginning of the forte chord strike, tone repetition and trill figures in the piano (bars 1 to 4), the energetic motif 2 in the forte with descending line of the upper voices and ostinato-like rhythm in the bass (bars 5 to 12, Motif 1 and 2 together as the "main theme") as well as motif 3 with rapid, grinder-like, partially upward sequenced sixteenth-note running figures (bars 12 to 22). In the passage with motif 3, Haydn changes to the dominant A major. A short, contrasting insertion of the running figure from motif 3 in the piano is followed by the energetic final group in the forte with tremolo.

As usual, the execution takes up the beginning of the exposition from the dominant. With the sixteenth-note running figures, Haydn then changes to the tonic parallels in B minor, where motif 1 now appears. In the following passage, which, with its octave jumps and tremolo in the staggered use of the strings, is somewhat reminiscent of the final section, Haydn sequences the two-bar main building block downwards. In D minor, in measure 65 pianissimo, first motif 1, then a variant of motif 2 with full-time notes in the descending line of the upper parts. The recapitulation is announced above an organ point on the dominant A with motif 3.

The recapitulation from bar 83 is shortened compared to the exposition: Motifs 1 and 2 are followed by the piano passage with motif 3, which is now about twice as long as before. The final group is also a bit shortened. Both parts of the sentence (exposition as well as development and recapitulation) are repeated.

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  2. ↑ Michael Walter ( Haydn's symphonies. A musical work guide. CH Beck-Verlag, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-406-44813-3 , p. 29) with reference to Giuseppe Carpani, after whom the reason for Haydn's engagement at the court of Esterházy was the performance of a symphony in D major in 3/4 time. The symphonies No. 15 and No. 19 come into question.
  3. ↑ 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).
  4. ↑ a b c The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
  5. ^ A b Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, 211 to 214.
  6. ^ A b 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, p. 74.
  7. ↑ James Webster: Hob.I: 19 Symphony in D major. Information text of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt on Symphony No. 19 by Joseph Haydn, see under web links.
  8. ↑ Robbins Landon (1955, p. 214): “(…) both movements have an attractive sombre quality, serious but never tragic. In No. 19 / II the rather flat tone-color is relieved by judicious alterations of f and p. "

Web links, notes

See also