22nd Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony in E flat major Hoboken directory I: 22 wrote Joseph Haydn in 1764 during his tenure as Vice-Kapellmeister to Prince I. Nikolaus Esterházy .

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

The origin of the nickname "The Philosopher" is unknown. It appears for the first time in an Austrian copy in Modena around 1790 and was also used by Aloys Fuchs in his directory of Haydn's works (1839/40). Usually the title is related to the Adagio.

The work is characterized by the following features:

  • The sequence of movements slow - fast - slow (minuet) - fast is based on the late Baroque church sonata and is also represented among Haydn's symphonies in No. 5 , No. 11 , No. 18 , No. 21 , No. 34 and No. 49 .
  • While it is common in other symphonies of this period for at least the slow movement or the trio to be in a different key - usually the dominant  - all movements here are in E flat major.
  • Use of English horns instead of oboes. However, Haydn may not have been convinced by the somewhat sharp sound, since he did not use this instrument again in his later symphonies.

The performance practice at that time usually paid little attention to the original orchestration, but was directed towards v. a. according to the available occupation options. For example, there were also contemporary arrangements of Symphony No. 22 in circulation in which oboes or flutes (with a correspondingly different timbre) were used instead of the English horns. In 1773 the Parisian publisher Venier published a three-movement version of the symphony: the first movement, which was eliminated including the minuet, is replaced by the original second movement (Presto). It is followed by a new Andante grazioso in A flat major, and the final Presto as the last movement. Furthermore, the English horns have been replaced by flutes. It is unclear whether this new second movement comes from Haydn and whether these changes were made with his consent.

The symphonies No. 21, No. 23 and No. 24 have also survived in autograph form from 1764 .

To the music

Instrumentation: two English horns , two horns in Eb, 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. 18 minutes, if all repetitions are adhered to approx. 22 minutes.

With the terms of the sonata form used here, it should be noted that this model was only designed at the beginning of the 19th century (see there) and can only be used with restrictions for a symphony from 1764. 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

E flat major, 4/4 time, 69 bars

Beginning of the Adagio in the English horns, horns (in Eb) and the violins

The sentence structure is kept relatively free (sentence overview with Howard Chandler Robbins Landon). The first theme (main theme) with a symmetrical structure begins with its signal-like E flat major triad of the horns in fortissimo, answered by the English horns also in fortissimo. As in the rest of the movement, the strings with mutes are kept piano and play pizzicato . The second half of the theme is a variant of the first and at the end changes to the dominant B flat major with horn trills . This is followed by a section for strings and cor anglais up to bar 13, which briefly leads to F major with its chromatic motif. This is followed by other small motifs in the violins. A suggestion ends the first part of the sentence in measure 22.

The middle section begins as a string section: the 1st violin leads the melody with the main motif (triad) in B flat major; followed by several bars with dissonant seconds , lead and syncope . These “chains of reserve dissonances” can evoke associations with late Baroque music. From bar 30, the English horns begin with the opening triad in F minor in fortissimo. After an interlude of the strings (bars 35–39), the triad follows again in the dominant B flat major and leads to the “recapitulation” from bar 44. This begins again with the main topic corresponding to the beginning of the sentence and is structured similarly to the first part of the sentence. The triad of the main theme then has its final appearance in the last three bars. The first part as well as the middle part and recapitulation are repeated.

When listening to this sentence, various associations are possible: The consistently dragging, leisurely / solemn - pacing movement of the cello and double bass allows on the one hand the image of a wandering, pensive philosopher, on the other hand that of a church procession, especially since the main theme is a chorale is similar. Hochkofler speaks of an “uncanny gloom”, and Robbins Landon says that the listener has the impression of witnessing an ancient drama. He sees in the interludes of the strings with the dissonant leads and syncopations the deliberate use of an old technique and describes the Adagio as one of the most original movements in Haydn's symphonic oeuvre.

The landscape painter Albert Christoph Dies reports on his visit to Haydn on May 27, 1806 in the “Biographische Nachrichten”:

“For a long time I had made up my mind to ask Haydn to what extent the claim (which I had heard and read several times) was true that he was trying to deal with some arbitrary literal task in his instrumentation? (...) “Seldom,” replied Haydn. “I usually let my mere musical imagination run wild in instrumental music. Only one exception occurs to me now, when in the adagio of a symphony I chose a conversation between God and a reckless sinner as the subject. ”- On a later occasion the speech fell on this adagio again and Haydn said that he always got the deity through that expressed love and kindness. I asked Haydn to choose the theme of the Adagio for me because it should be of interest to most readers. But he didn't remember which symphony it was in. "

Howard Chandler Robbins Landon suspects a connection with the present movement, Ernst Praetorius, however, with the Adagio from Symphony No. 7 .

Second movement: Presto

E flat major, 4/4 time, 98 bars

The movement clearly contrasts in tempo and character with the preceding Adagio. The main theme is characterized by the alternation of staccato eighth notes and quarters with initially two-bar, then four-bar units (both repeated). Up to the end of the exposition in bar 38, a series of motifs and figures follows: an octave jump up and subsequent emphasis on the second beat (syncope), two bars of syncope movement and a section with chord melodies and trills. The figure from bar 32 with imitation of the violin motif in the English horns can be interpreted as the final group.

The developmental part from bar 38 deals with the octave jump motif, the beginning of the main theme (short mock reprise in E flat major in bar 46), the syncope figure and at the end introduces a new motif with a gaunt bass figure. The recapitulation (from bar 68) is structured similarly to the exposition. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Third movement: Menuetto

E flat major, 3/4 time, with trio 52 bars

In the solemn minuet the two violins are performed in parallel, the 2nd violin z. T. an octave below the 1st violin. The last five bars of the minuet contrast with the previous material through their triplets , so the section can be interpreted as a kind of coda .

The trio - also in E flat major - is characterized by figures in thirds of the dominant winds, according to Howard Chandler Robbins Landon a combination of "Feld Parthie" (because of the dominating winds) and Länders (because of the string accompaniment with "off-beat").

Fourth movement: Finale. Presto

E flat major, 6/8 time, 119 bars

As with the other movements, the Presto is characterized more by a sequence of motifs than by thematic work. The movement is a bit more "hectic" than the previous Presto due to its continuous, hammering eighth note movement. The first theme (main motif) consists of three descending quarters of the violins, answered by a tone repetition horn fanfare, and points in the direction of hunting or post horn melodies. From bar 9 onwards, several figures follow with a continuous eighth note movement, sometimes also with a three-note melody. The motif of an ascending triad from bar 32 ("triad motif") is important for the development. A clearly definable second topic cannot be identified.

In the development section, the main motif is first modulated in the strings and performed in a staggered manner; Due to the lack of the horn fanfare, the section up to bar 53 appears relatively calm. From bar 54, the whole orchestra begins with the triad motif in the forte. Haydn changes from G major, F minor, A flat major to D flat major and B flat minor. The recapitulation (from bar 75) is structured similarly to the exposition. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Web links, notes

Individual references, comments

  1. ^ A b Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: Haydn: Symphonies No 22 "The Philosopher", No. 63 "La Roxelane", No. 80. Text contribution to the recording of the symphonies nos. 22, 63 and 80 by Joseph Haydn; Recording with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon-GmbH, Hamburg 1989.
  2. ^ Horst Walter: Le philosophe. In Armin Raab, Christine Siegert, Wolfram Steinbeck (eds.): The Haydn Lexicon. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2010, ISBN 978-3-89007-557-0 , p. 588.
  3. ^ A b Max Hochkofler: Joseph Haydn, Symphony No. 22 in E flat major. Ernst Eulenburg Ltd. No. 545, London / Zurich 1958, 26 pp. (Pocket score)
  4. ↑ a b Hans-Günter Klein: Haydn: Symphonies No. 22 “The Philosopher”, No. 63 “La Roxelane”, No. 80. Text contribution to the recording of the symphonies No. 22, 63 and 80 by Joseph Haydn; Recording with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon-GmbH, Hamburg 1989.
  5. ^ Walter Lessing: The symphonies of Joseph Haydn, in addition: all masses. A series on Südwestfunk Baden-Baden from 1987-89. Volume 1. Baden-Baden 1989, p. 83.
  6. ↑ 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).
  7. ^ Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, pp. 257-260.
  8. ↑ a b c The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
  9. ^ Albert Christoph Dies: Biographical news from Joseph Haydn. Based on oral accounts of the same, designed and edited by Albert Christoph Dies, landscape painter. Camesinaische Buchhandlung, Vienna 1810. Re-edited by Horst Seeger with a foreword and notes. Reprinted by Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel, no year (approx. 1950), p. 131.
  10. ^ A b Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: Haydn: Chronicle and works. The early years 1732-1765. Thames and Hudson, London 1980, p. 566.
  11. ^ Ernst Praetorius: Revision report. Ernst Eulenburg Ltd. No. 513, London / Mainz without year (revision report on the pocket score).
  12. ↑ Robbins Landon (1955, p. 260) is reminded of quacking ducks: "... at the end of the exposure and recapitulation, where, by imitating the violins, they emit sounds not unlike quacking ducks."