31st Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony No. 31. D Major Hoboken directory I: 31 wrote Joseph Haydn in 1765 during his tenure as Vice-Kapellmeister to Prince Nikolaus I. Esterhazy . In its cast, the symphony is characterized by the use of solo string instruments and, above all, four instead of the usual two horns. It partly bears the titles "Mit dem Hornsignal" or "Auf dem Anstand", which are not from Haydn.

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

From the year that Symphony No. 31 was composed (1765), three further symphonies by Joseph Haydn have been preserved in dated autographs : No. 28 , No. 29 and No. 30 . Its creation is possibly related to the hiring of two horn players in 1765, after two of the four horn players in the court orchestra had failed in previous years.

Symphony No. 31 is characterized by the following features:

  • Instead of the usual two, four horns are used. The horn parts are extraordinarily difficult in all movements and stand out so strongly that they gave the symphony the nickname “with the horn signal” or “on decency” in the 19th century. Similar heavy horn parts can also be found in Symphony No. 72 , which was probably composed a little earlier and , as a "sister work", also has four horns and a similarly structured final movement as No. 31. In Symphony No. 51 , written a little later, the horn parts (two horns), which go in even higher registers, are also kept demanding.

“[It] is obvious that the horn players of the Esterházy Orchestra in the period up to the first seventies had skills that no one in Europe could have rivaled. Haydn's first horn player was a Bohemian named Thaddäus Steinmüller, and when Steinmüller left Esterházy's service, Haydn stopped writing for horns in this striking manner. "

  • In addition to the horns, a violin, a cello and a double bass are used as solo instruments, and the flute and oboes also have solo passages.
  • The conclusion is a set of variations, in which the orchestra's instruments introduce a theme of variation as a soloist.
  • Due to the emergence of solo instruments and the set of variations at the end, there are similarities to the light music of the divertimento .
  • At the end of the symphony, Haydn uses the horn motif of the opening again, creating a connection between the beginning and the end.
  • Howard Chandler Robbins Landon emphasizes the ingenuity and light-heartedness of the symphony and compares it with Haydn's farewell to youth, since the works of the following years in particular no longer showed this light-heartedness.

The symphony was called "Concertante Sinfonia" or "Sinfonia Concertante" in editions at the end of the 1780s.

To the music

Instrumentation: flute , two oboes , four horns , two violins , viola , cello , double bass . As solo instruments, there are also separate violin, cello and double bass; furthermore solo passages for the oboes, the horns and the flute. 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. 25–30 minutes (depending on compliance with the prescribed repetitions).

With the terms of sonata movement used here as an alternative, 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

D major, 3/4 time, 160 bars

Beginning of the Allegro with the "military motif" in the four horns

Haydn opens the symphony with two horn signals, supported by string accompaniment. There are various details about the meaning of the horn signals. According to Horst Walter and James Webster, Haydn uses a military motif (bars 1–8) and a post horn motif (bars 9 ff.), Which is also supported by the note “Post horn from Nuremberg” on a contemporary edition by the publisher Siebert. According to Wolfgang Marggraf, the motifs can be assigned to the post horn. According to another opinion, the horn signal from bar 9 is a southern Hungarian-Croatian-Romanian hunting motif. The "military motif" is characterized by its concise rhythm and uses notes of the D major triad, the "post horn motif" (or hunting motif) also has a typical dotted rhythm and uses octave jumps .

From bar 16 - introduced by the military motif - a passage begins with runs in unison, which, after a downward sequenced motif with a falling triad (bar 25 ff.), Further runs and tone repetition, reaches the dominant A major (bar 41 ff.), In now the flute comes out with runs upwards - interrupted by the "hum" of the strings and a repetition of the horns reminiscent of the military motif. Further runs then lead to the final group (bar 54 ff.), In which the strings and flute play an upbeat (three tapping) motif with a falling line, overlaid by the post horn motif in the horns.

The implementation starts with the head of the military motif in the horn in dialogue with the strings and leads to harmony distant F-sharp major. After a caesura, the final group motif then sets in as a variant in D major, followed by the upward movements of the flute alternating with the "string hum", with the harmonies again moving away from D major. In measure 89, the post horn motif in the horns above the head appears from the final group motif in the strings in minor. From B minor, a tremolo passage starts with the head from the final group motif in the bass. Strong chord strokes in A major herald the recapitulation in bar 110. Instead, however, a D minor passage for strings in the piano surprisingly follows, which in turn goes back to the head of the final group motif.

The recapitulation (from bar 119) begins piano with the post horn motif and is somewhat shortened compared to the exposition, but the final group is expanded: At the end the horns play the military motif left out at the beginning of the recapitulation with fanfare-like increase. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Second movement: Adagio

G major, 6/8 time, 78 measures

In the concertante Adagio, the four horns, a solo violin and a solo cello emerge. The strings sometimes accompany pizzicato or interrupt the concert sections with energetic forte interjections, the flute and oboes are silent. The three main motifs of the movement are linked by a similar beginning (upbeat and dotted rhythm).

The first theme with a wide arch and ornamentation is first introduced by the solo violin, then by the horns and finally again by the solo violin in a varied manner and led to the dominant D major. In D major, the horns then play another motif (“second theme”), followed by “brilliant”, very high passages for the violin and a concert section for violin and cello. The final group (bars 27 ff.) Breathes pianissimo at the beginning, but at the end the cello emerges with runs and characteristic triple tone repetition.

The implementation resembles a shortened exposition: the first theme is presented three times, first by the horns (with a “breakneck” accompanying figure), then in the tutti and finally by the violin. The violin and cello then continue their concertante dialogue from the exposition. The final group leads into an energetic forte passage with runs in unison as a return to the recapitulation. This (from bar 59) also represents a shortened sequence of the exposition (omission of the “second topic”).

Third movement: Menuet

D major, 3/4 time, with trio 76 bars

The minuet is characterized by its energetic, dance-like melody with triple tone repetition and dotted rhythm. The first part of the minuet is consistently in the forte, the beginning of the second part is loosened up by forte-piano contrasts.

In the timbre-rich trio (D major, piano) oboes, violins, horns and the flute alternate in a dialogue-like manner with a somewhat rural melody. James Webster associates the trio with outdoor music, Howard Chandler Robbins Landon describes the trio as a prime example of fine orchestration.

Fourth movement: Finale. Moderato molto - Presto

D major, 2/4 time / 3/4 time, 170 bars

The movement is based on a theme with seven variations, in which the instruments introduce and decorate the theme in different timbres. At the end there is a “sweeping” presto that takes up the “military motif” from the beginning of the symphony. The set consists of the following parts:

  • Presentation of the theme in the piano, only strings. The theme is reminiscent of a leisurely march and consists of two repeated parts (as is the case with every subsequent variation, all in D major).
  • Variation 1: oboes
  • Variation 2: cello
  • Variation 3: flute
  • Variation 4: Horns (with complicated and very demanding solos)
  • Variation 5: violin
  • Variation 6: whole orchestra (tutti)
  • Variation 7: double bass
  • Eight bars transition, D minor, with chromatics , only strings
  • Presto (3/4 time): The symphony concludes with a “sweep” in the forte for the whole orchestra: First the violins and the flute play rapid sixteenth notes, followed by a new march-like motif with dotted rhythm. The symphony ends with the "military motif" with which it began.

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ the English-language Wikipedia page on Haydn's 31st Symphony quotes James Webster: Text contribution to the recording of the Haydn symphonies with the Academy of Ancient Music and Christopher Hogwood, Oiseau-Lyre 430 082-2, 1990.
  2. ↑ for the meaning of the title see first sentence
  3. ^ A b Roger Fiske: Joseph Haydn, Symphony No. 31 in D major. Preface to the pocket score edition of the symphony by Eulenburg-Verlag: Edition Eulenburg No. 512, Ernst Eulenburg Ltd., London / Mainz (reprint, foreword from 1976)
  4. ↑ a b c James Webster: Hob. I: 31 Symphony in D major. Information text on Symphony No. 31 from the project “Haydn 100 & 7” of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt: http://www.haydn107.com/index.php?id=2&sym=31&lng=1 , as of March 2010
  5. ↑ a b After Antony Hodgson ( The Music of Joseph Haydn . The Symphonies. The Tantivy Press, London 1976, ISBN 0-8386-1684-4 , p. 66) Violone
  6. ^ Karl Geiringer: Joseph Haydn. The creative career of a master of the classics. B. Schott's sons, Mainz 1959
  7. ↑ Jürgen Mainka: Symphony No. 31 in D major Hob. I: 7 "With the horn signal (1765)." In Malte Korff (Hrsg.): Konzertbuch Orchestermusik 1650-1800. Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden / Leipzig 1991, pp. 3352-353
  8. ^ A b Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, p. 266 f.
  9. ^ "Space prohibits an exposure of the many delights to be found in the horn signal; suffice it to state that ingenuity and charm have seldom been better wedded by Haydn than in this light-hearted, gay music. The symphony represents, in a way, Haydn's farewell to youth; for in the next decades he was never quite able to recapture the deepseated joy of this period. " (Robbins Landon p. 268)
  10. ^ Edition of Forster 1786 cited in Hoboken 1957
  11. ^ Edition of Siebert 1788 cited in Hoboken 1957
  12. ↑ 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).
  13. ^ Horst Walter: Hornsignal (Symphony with the horn signal). In Armin Raab, Christine Siegert, Wolfram Steinbeck (eds.): The Haydn Lexicon. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2010, ISBN 978-3-89007-557-0 , p. 324.
  14. ^ Wolfgang Marggraf : The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. - Symphony 31, D major, ("Horn Signal"), accessed May 5, 2011 (text as of 2009)
  15. ↑ The connection to the hunting motif or the designation of the whole symphony as "hunting symphony" can be found in v. a. in the older literature (e.g. Geiringer 1959, Hodgson 1976). Van Hoboken (Anthony van Hoboken: Joseph Haydn. Thematic-bibliographical catalog raisonné, Volume I. Schott-Verlag, Mainz 1957, 848 pp.) Refers to Ernst Pauls, after the horn signal in bars 9 to 15 is “of the southern Hungarian-Croatian-Romanian type Signals " , " which were blown on short horns, mostly made of animal material, and had a maximum of three pitches (fundamental and the next two overtones octave and duodecime). " A similar hunting signal is said to be spread around 1800 in the area around Esterházy for have been the drive and chase. The title “on decency” would be - if it is actually a hunting signal - then incorrect (hunting from decency and no driven hunt). See also the information text on the performance of Symphony No. 31 on May 29, 2009 at the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt: http://www.haydn107.com/index.php?id=32 , as of March 2010.
  16. ↑ Similar structure in the first movement of Haydn's Symphony No. 24 .
  17. ↑ The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in many recordings.
  18. ^ A b Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: Haydn: Chronicle and works. The early years 1732-1765. Thames and Hudson, London 1980, p. 572.
  19. ↑ Robbins Landon (1980) p. 752: "This Trio migt be used as a textbook exercise on the fine art of orchestration."

Web links, notes