51st Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony in B flat major Hoboken directory I: 51 wrote Joseph Haydn to 1773 during his tenure as Kapellmeister to Prince I. Nikolaus Esterházy . The symphony stands out for its unusually difficult horn parts and the two trios in the minuet .

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

Symphony No. 51, the autograph of which has not been preserved, was composed by Haydn around 1773 while he was employed as Kapellmeister by Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy.

"The whole symphony contains a variety of interesting details and delicious ideas (...), especially in the first movement with its astonishing accumulation of dynamic symbols, its preference for sharp contrasts."

The horn solos for the horns in the second movement and in the second trio of the minuet place high demands on the horn players.

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. 20 to 25 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 1773 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: Vivace

B flat major, 3/4 time, 209 bars

Beginning of Vivace with the aspiring unison figure

The first theme consists of three parts, with the dynamic decreasing more and more: First, the whole orchestra begins forte and in unison with a rising, rhythmically concise figure, whose closing, energetic dominant - tonic - cadence is somewhat reminiscent of the end of sentences or parts of sentences . Then the strings piano play a contrasting “soft, gentle cantilena” in a falling line, followed by the “mysterious” deep third step down from the 2nd horn and the strings in pianissimo (“third motif”). The third does not end on the tonic B, but "openly" on the dominant D. The thematic complex is now repeated, with the second part being decorated and the third motif leading seamlessly into the following dramatic block. This is consistently in fortissimo and begins in G minor. The section first processes the figure with dotted rhythm from the first part of the theme in the leading violin, while the other instruments accompany with sustained notes (wind instruments) and tremolo (other strings). From bar 38 onwards, a scale motif is sequenced downwards in the first violin, which continues to lead the voice, while the bass creates an upward countermovement.

The second theme (from bar 53) with a quieter character consists of two four-bar phrases. In phrase 1, only the violins play in dialogue, with the interval from the third down (from the end of the first theme) playing an important role. In phrase 2, the other strings join in. The second theme is also repeated, and here, too, Phrase 2 is varied as an initially hesitant, then more energetic extension with “extreme eccentricity” (accents on the unstressed cycle times). In the final group (from bar 70), Haydn uses another special effect: first, for five bars with the dominant seventh chord of F major, the same harmony appears in tone repetitions, as if the music were about to stand still. At the same time, the note values ​​are getting longer and longer: from sixteenths to eighths to quarters to full-bar notes. For this purpose, Haydn wrote a “ calando ” in bar 72 (slowing down the tempo and reducing the dynamics). “With this regulation, he underlines the process of ritarding, which is already fully composed in the music, so to speak.” A descending F major triad of the oboes ends the exposition.

The development does not begin, as usual, with the first theme in the dominant, but picks up on the descending triad from the end of the exposition, which is led through different keys (D major, G minor, E flat major) and instruments. Delays also appear again, first in the form of descending triads, and shortly afterwards as a tone repetition. In bar 108 the first theme begins in the subdominant E flat major, with the second part with its “chromatically colored harmony suddenly gaining something mysterious and puzzling”, before Haydn sequenced the scale motif downwards from bar 125.

Haydn disguised the beginning of the reprise: the appearance of the second theme as a variant in G minor is interrupted by a chromatic passage leading to the tonic in B flat major. “As if nothing unusual was happening,” begins the second part of the first theme, and it becomes clear to the listener that “you are in the middle of the recapitulation.” The third theme is now followed by the first part of the theme as a variant with “downright rough chords (n) “, in which the figure dominates with the dotted rhythm up to the six-bar unison passage. The rest of the recapitulation (passage with a sequenced scale motif, second theme, final group) is structured in a similar way to the exposition. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Second movement: Adagio

E flat major, 2/4 time, 93 bars

In the Adagio the solo horns and oboes step over a calm striding, grounding string accompaniment (violins play muted), whereby the solos for the horns are challenging to play: The beginning 1st horn leads the voice “dizzyingly high” in its eight-bar theme up to the double ace. The 2nd horn responds to this as a sequence of four full bar notes in an extremely low register up to the dominant double-Bb. Now the 1st oboe joins it - again in a high register.

“The direct juxtaposition of these extreme situations seems so unusual, almost curious, that the suspicion arises that Haydn had some kind of fun in mind here again. Should it be a special surprise for Prince Nikolaus? Did Haydn perhaps want to put his horn players to the test? Or was it simply the pleasure of attempting such an experiment? Whatever the occasion, the musicians in Haydn's orchestra who were able to play such roles must have been excellent masters. "

The subsequent passage of the strings with triplets in the violins is followed by the final section, which continues the triplets as a knocking tone repeater forte (initially effective only in the horn) with characteristic dissonances and echo-like repetition in the piano.

The development begins with new solos, first for the 1st oboe, then repeating for both horns. A "long, pensive passage" with continuous triplet movement of the violins leads to the recapitulation. Shortly before the start of the reprise, Haydn prescribed a “calando” (as in the previous Vivace) that reduced movement and volume.

The recapitulation is different from the exposition: At the end of the solo of the 1st horn, the 2nd horn takes up the triplet figure, which is then continued alternating between tone repetition and continuous movement in the 2nd horn and the strings. The deep solo from the 2nd horn does not follow until bar 78, the horn now even reaches the double-A under the triplet accompaniment of the strings and oboes. The movement ends with the triplet passage extended by one measure and the final group. Both parts of the sentence (exposition as well as development and recapitulation) are repeated.

Third movement: Menuetto

B flat major, 3/4 time, with trio 56 bars

The minuet is characterized by its main motif consisting of a four-way tapping tone repeater in quarters with an attached sixteenth-note decorative flake. Both parts of the minuet are eight bars. Viola and bass play four repetitions of the same two-measure motif in different stages in each part. In an Esterházy collection of voices, this is indicated in encoded form as “puzzle notation”: The same motif is always noted in the same position, the “correct” position is given by the key. At the end of the second part, the 1st horn with the double-struck B reaches a high pitch again.

In most of the sources, the minuet has come down to us with two trios, but the only source from the Esterházy archives (which, however, is not authentic) only contains the second trio. The presence of two trios is unique in Haydn's symphonic oeuvre.

Both trios differ in their form (Trio 1 of 8 + 8 bars, Trio 2 of 8 + 16 bars) and the instrumentation (Trio 1 only for strings, Trio 2 with brass). In Trio 1, the frequently used Lombard rhythm is noticeable, in Trio 2 (which uses the rhythmic final turn of Trio 1 in the first part) - as in the Adagio - the very demanding solos for the horns: The 1st horn rises to the double-bowed B flat . This is the highest note ever written for horn. In virtuoso triplet figures, the 2nd horn has to measure the wide range from the two-stroke D to the capital F. It is possible that the first trio did not come from Haydn.

Fourth movement: Allegro

B flat major, 2/4 time, 114 bars

The movement is a mixture of rondo and variation movement ("Variationsrondo": refrain with couplets , but the refrain itself is varied). All parts are two-part symmetrical made up of 2x8 bars, each eight bar is repeated.

  • Presentation of the refrain in the strings (B flat major, piano, bars 1 to 16).
  • Variation 1 of the refrain with wind accompaniment (B flat major, forte, bars 17 to 32)
  • Couplet 1 with "slightly painful melody" in 1st oboe and 2nd violin (E flat major, piano, bars 33 to 48).
  • Repetition of the refrain with wind participation and accents on unstressed beat times in the third four bar (B flat major, bars 49 to 64).
  • Couplet 2 for with wind participation (G minor, fortissimo, bars 65 to 80). Antony Hodgson emphasizes the "exuberant, bubbly effect".
  • Variation 2 of the chorus with dominant winds or dialogue of winds and strings ("Reduction to a simple, striking core", B flat major, bars 81 to 96)
  • Coda with wind fanfare and tremolo (“splendid Tutti-Tusch”, bars 97 to 114, B flat major, mostly forte, at the end contrasting pianissimo - fortissimo).

See also

Web links, notes

Individual references, comments

  1. ^ Anthony van Hoboken: Joseph Haydn. Thematic-bibliographical catalog raisonné, Volume I. Schott-Verlag, Mainz 1957, p. 63.
  2. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  3. ^ A b c d e f g h i j Walter Lessing: The symphonies by 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 2, Baden-Baden 1989, pp. 59 to 61.
  4. ^ A b c d Antony Hodgson: The Music of Joseph Haydn . The Symphonies. The Tantivy Press , London 1976, ISBN 0-8386-1684-4 , p. 78.
  5. ↑ Antony Hodgson (1976 p. 78): "(...) the two horns, which are given parts of staggering difficulty."
  6. ^ A b c d Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, pp. 332, 334, 335.
  7. ↑ 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).
  8. ↑ a b c d e f g h i James Webster: Hob.I: 51 Symphony in B flat major . Information text on Symphony No. 47 by Joseph Haydn of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  9. ↑ James Webster: The Symphony with Joseph Haydn. Episode 7: Hob.I: 45, 46, 47, 51, 52 and 64. http://www.haydn107.com/index.php?id=21&lng=1&pages=symphonie , accessed April 22, 2013.
  10. ↑ a b c d e Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 , pp. 289 and 295.
  11. ^ According to Andreas Friesenhagen & Ulrich Wilker ( symphonies around 1770–1774. In: Joseph Haydn Institute Cologne (ed.): Joseph Haydn Works. Series I, Volume 5b. G. Henle-Verlag, Munich 2013, ISMN 979-0- 2018-5044-3, page VII.) The following aspects speak against the authenticity: 1. the trio is only preserved in one branch of tradition; 2. a minuet with two trios would be unique in Haydn's symphonies; 3. stylistic criteria. Therefore “it seems to be an addition made in a copyist's office. Presumably this trio with only strings was intended as a replacement for the original trio with its demanding horn parts (which make it difficult to spread) (...). "
  12. ↑ Antony Hodgson (1976 p. 78): "(...) one section of which has a rollicking, bubbling effect that has to be heard to be believed - take note, for such an effect never occurs again in the symphonies."