29th Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony Hoboken Directory I: 29 in E major was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1765 while he was employed as Vice-Kapellmeister to Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy .

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

The symphonies No. 12 , 29 and No. 44 are the only ones in Franz Joseph Haydn's oeuvre in the symphony key E, which was unusual for the time, the first two in major, the last in minor. The two symphonies in E major have some similarities in character, especially in the lyrical and vocal design of the first movement. The symphony No. 29, however, is in four movements and has a particularly important finale for the time.

Also in 1765, Haydn composed the symphonies No. 28 , No. 30 and No. 31 .

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. 15 to 20 minutes (depending on compliance with the prescribed repetitions).

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 1765. - 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 di molto

E major, 3/4 time, 140 bars

Haydn originally headed the sentence “Allegro ma non troppo”, then changed it to “Allegro piu tosto molto” and finally to “Allegro di molto”.

The movement opens with the first theme (main theme), which is periodically built up from four bars of the front and back parts. Unusually for the beginning of a symphony of this time, it has a restrained, swaying character. This comes about through the even quarter movement with arcs and the very vocal melody. Also noteworthy is the extent of the antecedent, in which only strings play, from the interval of a ninth. In the aftermath, the two oboes answer in thirds with subordinate accompaniment by viola, cello and double bass. The theme is now repeated with a modified, six-bar trailer. From bar 18 a new section begins in the forte and with full orchestra use. A characteristic is a motif with a large interval jump (ninth / decime) up / down with an accentuated beat on the second quarter of the measure ( syncope ), which loosens the previously dominant rocking movement a little. From bar 39 ff. Triplet runs in the violins follow, before the final section with the characteristic triplet motif from bar 46 announces the end of the exposition .

The development (bars 51-99) begins piano with the main theme in the dominant B major, then the even, swaying quarter movement is spun and finally replaced by triplet figures in the forte. The movement calms down again, and after a quarter break, the recapitulation begins in bar 100 . This is structured in a similar way to the exposition, but the main theme, for example, is not repeated, but continued like a spinning, and the triplet section shortly before the end is enriched by sequencing . The development and recapitulation are repeated like the exposition.

Howard Chandler Robbins Landon describes the sentence as a typical example of a "singing Allegro."

Second movement: Andante

A major, 2/4 time, 96 bars, strings only

The melody of the periodically structured first "theme" (or: main theme) is made up of small motif phrases that are played in the piano between the 1st and 2nd violin. After eight bars the theme is repeated, but now with the roles of the two violins reversed. Between the first presentation of the topic and the repetition, as well as after the repetition, the viola, cello and double bass play a fast unison figure in the forte.

The structure of the second “theme” (bars 18–28) is very similar to the previous one; it could also be seen as a continuation of the same. It is noteworthy, however, that both violins play together in the aftermath with a third spacing - i.e. no longer alternately. From bar 29 to the end of the exposition in bar 39, syncope dominates over striding basses.

In the developmental part, the dialogue between the violins is initially continued, turns from bar 47 to a minor key and has a somewhat polyphonic effect, since both violins now work against each other. From bar 54 to the recapitulation in bar 64, syncope is again predominant. The recapitulation begins with the first theme in the usual dialogical structure. The syncope segment follows from bar 79. Before the actual final group, which consists of the unison figure from the exposition, the main theme has a brief appearance (bars 91–93). The development and recapitulation are repeated like the exposition.

Christa Landon (1962) speaks of a “transparent structure” and a “humorous dialogue between the violins that forms a whole”. On the other hand, Johann Adam Hiller (1770) criticizes: "(...) in the Andante, however, the composer divided the melody into the first and the other violin in a ridiculous way (...)."

Third movement: Menuet - Allegretto

E major, 3/4 time, with trio 66 bars

The main part of the minuet is powerful and energetic, with a descending melody line and an echo in the piano. This contrasts with the trio in E minor for strings and horn, which breathes "the atmosphere of Eastern folk music" : It is kept in the piano throughout with a solemn, gloomy soundscape of the horns set like organ points , while the strings in staccato only add splashes of color to the atmosphere . Possibly the trio was inspired by Slavic folk music (also in the trios of the symphonies No. 28 and No. 30 composed in the same year). Antony Hodgson considers the possibility that the harpsichord player has to improvise a melody.

Fourth movement: Finale. Presto

E major, 2/2 time (alla breve), 185 measures

Throughout almost the entire movement, viola, cello and double bass play the same note in bars or sections, which creates a throbbing, energetic, propulsive effect. Walter Lessing speaks of the “climax of the work” in the Presto , Christa Landon of a “great, stormy” finale, and Howard Chandler Robbins Landon also points out the contrast to the character of the previous movements.

The movement begins with the first theme (main theme) in powerful movement: The antecedent with increasing intervals in half notes, performed in unison- forte, the subsequent movement enriched with countermovement. The following, quite long section up to bar 47 is characterized by the throbbing quarter movement and from bar 34 by a sequenced downward scale. An additional dynamic component is created by the leads in the violins, in which the viola begins with an accentuated quarter beat. After a tremolo (bars 48–51), the movement calms down from bars 53 to 65 with arc-like half notes (similar to the beginning of the sentence) and chromatics , before the final section with its running motif up an octave announces the end of the exposition in bar 81.

The development (bars 82–110) begins piano as a continuation of the main theme, underlined by the throbbing quarter movement. Then viola, cello and bass take up the theme in the forte, superimposed by the tremolo of the violins or chords of the wind instruments (bars 95–110). The recapitulation (bars 111 ff.) Is structured similarly to the exposition, but has an additional section with the running motif over an octave upwards (bars 123–137). The development and recapitulation are repeated like the exposition.

See also

Web links, notes

Individual references, comments

  1. ^ A. Peter Brown: The Symphonic Repertoire. Volume II. The First Golden Age of the Vienese Symphony: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. Indiana University Press, Bloomington & Indianapolis 2002, ISBN 0-253-33487-X ; P. 99
  2. ↑ James Webster (information text on Symphony No. 29 by Joseph Haydn of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under Web Links) says that Symphony No. 29 is the first in which Haydn made the finale as the main focus (i.e. the first final symphony) .
  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 d Christa Landon : Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 29 E major. Ernst Eulenburg Ltd. No. 562, London / Zurich without year, 22 pp. (Pocket score, foreword and audit report from 1962)
  5. ↑ a b c The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
  6. ^ Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: Haydn: Chronicle and works. The early years 1732-1765. Thames and Hudson, London 1980, p. 570.
  7. ↑ However, this is not immediately recognizable when listening; for a contemporary listener and viewer, however, this effect should have been understandable.
  8. ^ Johann Adam Hiller: Weekly news and notes regarding the music. Leipzig 1770. Quoted in Landon, 1962.
  9. ↑ Hiller is generally disparaging about Symphony No. 29, but even more about No. 28 .
  10. ^ Antony Hodgson: The Music of Joseph Haydn . The Symphonies. The Tantivy Press, London 1976, ISBN 0-8386-1684-4 , p. 66
  11. ^ Walter Lessing: The symphonies of Joseph Haydn, in addition: all masses. A series on Südwestfunk Baden-Baden 1987-89. Volume 1. Baden-Baden 1989, p. 97.
  12. ^ Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, p. 250: “The crowning movement of No. 29 is its finale. lt is a fine example of the nervous energy which begins more and more to characterize Haydn's quick movements. The fury and fire which consume this Presto are completely unexpected, coming as they do, after the almost rustic tranquility of the preceding parts of the symphony. The forte unison opening is an effect which Haydn later used in his first movements in the years 1772-1774. "
  13. ↑ The beginning of the movement is somewhat reminiscent of the opening of the Concerto in E flat major KV 268 , which may have been composed or sketched by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart .