36th Symphony (Haydn)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Symphony in E flat major Hoboken directory I: 36 wrote Joseph Haydn early 1760s. A special feature is the second movement with the appearance of solo violin and solo cello.

General

Joseph Haydn probably composed the symphony No. 36 during the first years of his employment at the court of Esterházy , probably shortly after the “time of day cycle” (symphonies No. 6 , No. 7 and No. 8), ie between 1761 and 1762. A special feature is the second movement with the appearance of solo violin and solo cello. Its character is reminiscent of a concerto grosso . The solo passages (as in some other symphonies with solo instruments, such as No. 13 in addition to the “time of day” symphonies ) are probably for the musicians Luigi Tomasini (violin) and Joseph (who are considered to be particularly “excellent”) Weigl (cello) in the Esterházy orchestra.

To the music

Instrumentation: two oboes , two horns in Eb, two violins , viola , cello , double bass . In the second movement there is also a solo violin and a solo cello. 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 duration : approx. 18–20 minutes.

When it comes to the sonata form used here, it should be noted that this model was only designed at the beginning of the 19th century (see there). - 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: Vivace

E flat major, 3/4 time, 165 bars

Beginning of Vivace, 1st violin

The symphony opens with a powerfully ambitious theme based on the E flat major triad in the forte with a change from sustained opening chord, quarters, staccato eighth notes in unison and sixteenth notes including trills. The staccato turn from the second part of the theme appears again in the rest of the movement (staccato motif). From bar 9 onwards, the theme is repeated and spun as a variant in the piano. The transition passage introduced by horn fanfares (bars 17–35) is consistently in the forte and also partly draws on motifs from the main theme (e.g. theme head in variant and staccato motif).

The second theme (bar 36 ff.) With a more motif-like character contrasts with the previous events through the performance in the piano, its cloudiness after B flat minor (minor dominant to E flat major) and the staggered use of the strings (compared to the more " gallant ”process so far). The final group (bars 43 ff.), On the other hand, is again in forte (B flat major) and begins with the staccato motif, followed by another variant of the theme and a series of falling, “flowing” sixteenth-notes.

The implementation (measure 61 to 121) is formed in considerable detail for a symphony that time: It begins with the first theme in the dominant B flat major, which abruptly clock 67 is moved into the tonic E flat major. This briefly creates the impression that the recapitulation is already beginning; with the use of a longer minor tremolo passage (bars 70-76) with a sharp change (accents) of forte and piano it becomes clear that one is still in the development. The tremolo passage turns into a section in which a motif from the transition group is presented in dialogue (bars 77 ff.), With Haydn changing to G major and then setting a caesura with two chord hits on G. The G major acts as a dominant to the following section in the parallel tonic in C minor, in which Haydn allows several small motifs to appear one after the other up to bar 108, including the head of the first theme and again the staccato motif. From bar 109 the second theme (still in C minor) sounds, this time with the participation of the oboes.

The recapitulation then begins in bar 121 with the first theme in E flat major. The further course largely corresponds to the exposition , but is somewhat shortened (e.g. the horn fanfares are missing). The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated. Overall, the sentence is quite lively. The two violins are mostly equal to each other (sometimes even the viola separates from the bass part), which can be interpreted as an indication of the excellent orchestra that Haydn had available.

Second movement: Adagio

B flat major, 2/2 time (alla breve), 40 bars, only strings with solo violin and solo cello

Beginning of the Adagio with the unison motif

The “highly pathetic” movement is characterized by the change from a unison motif in the forte (striding figure with dotted rhythm throughout the orchestra) and solo passages with a “great dialogue” between solo violin and solo cello. The character of the movement is reminiscent of the baroque concerto grosso . Individual section boundaries can be recognized in

  • Measure 16/17: the movement ends in pianissimo in the dominant F major, new beginning with the tutti unison from the beginning of the sentence in F major;
  • Measure 30: Beginning with the tutti unison from the beginning of the sentence in the tonic in B flat major (“recapitulation”).

According to the structure of bars 16/17, the movement ends with a calm pianissimo.

Third movement: Menuetto

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

The main melody of the minuet has a progressive, almost march-like character. The changes in dynamics between forte and pianissimo are remarkable. The second part begins with a sequence of motifs and is only slightly longer with 18 bars than the first part with 12 bars.

The trio (without horns) begins with a descending phrase in a radiant B flat major, but then modulates with anticipation and even bass movement in a chromatic line astonishingly to C minor and D minor, in which the first part of the trio also ends. In the second part, F major and E flat major are reached, which leads predominantly back to B major. As in the minuet, the second part with 16 bars is hardly longer than the first part with 14 bars.

Fourth movement: Allegro

E flat major, 2/4 time, 128 bars

Beginning of the Allegro

The lively main motif of the first theme consists of a broken E-flat major triad leading upwards and then downwards with the staggered use of oboes and violins on the one hand and viola and bass on the other. The downward part is held as a sixteenth run with dotted rhythm, this run-like figure ("running motif") appears repeatedly in the further course of the sentence. The four-bar main motif is repeated twice as a variant with piano-forte contrast; after its third appearance it closes the theme with a final turn.

The transition (from bar 16) juxtaposes the running motif (up and down and alternating between upper and lower voices) with a trill motif and then sequencing the running motif upwards. The second theme (from bar 29) is in B flat minor, is only performed by the strings and is more motif-like (similar in the first movement): The 1st violin plays a piano tremolo with a characteristic octave and second jump, while the The remaining strings bring in small staccato inserts (the winds are silent). The final group in the forte contains the running motif and tremolo in the last four bars of an energetically repeated bass figure.

The first five bars of the development lead the listener dominantly back to the tonic in E flat major, and from bar 58 there is actually a mock revision with the first theme in E flat major (similar to the first movement). From bar 65 it becomes clear that the development is still in progress: the running motif occurs in sequence (also after minor), followed by the trill motif from the transition section. From bar 83 the second theme appears in the parallel tonic in C minor. Via tremolo, Haydn then switches back to E flat, in which the “correct” recapitulation begins in measure 96. This is structured in a similar way to the exposition, but the transition section to the second topic is shortened. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

As in the opening movement, the two violins are treated almost equally.

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ James Webster: Hob.I: 36 Symphony in E flat major. Information text on Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 36 on the website of the project “Haydn 100 & 7” of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt. See under web links.
  2. ↑ a b c Anton Gabmayer: Joseph Haydn: Symphony No.36 in E flat major, Hob.I: 36. Information to accompany the concert on July 25, 2009 at the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, www.haydn107.com/index.php?id=32, as of August 2009
  3. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  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 on 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. ↑ See also: Wolfgang Marggraf : Haydn's early symphonic works at the court of Eisenstadt (1761–1766). The symphonies of the Italian and normal types. Accessed May 17, 2012.
  6. ↑ Similarly, for example, also in Symphony No. 17 .
  7. ↑ a b The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in many recordings.
  8. ↑ a b Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 .
  9. ^ In the copy in St. Lambrecht, Regensburg: Presto; in the copy in St. Florian: Allegro molto after the Philharmonia pocket score

Web links, notes

See also