58th Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony in F major Hoboken directory I: 58 wrote Joseph Haydn in 1767 during his tenure as Kapellmeister to Prince Nikolaus I. Esterhazy .

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

Haydn probably composed Symphony No. 58 in 1767 while he was employed as Kapellmeister by Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy. In comparison with Symphony No. 35 , also composed in 1767, No. 58 has the opposite structure:

“[The symphonies no.] 58 in F major and 35 in B major (...) can be understood as a mirror-image pair of works: the F major symphony moves from a cozy opening movement that works with comical contrasts in the development a harmless andante to a completely eccentric finale that plays out the wildest contrasts in a very small space; in between is the famous “Menuet alla zoppa” (...). The B-flat major symphony goes the opposite way, from a highly dramatic first movement in the exposition to a melancholy andante to a finale that strikes buffa tones. "

To the music

Instrumentation: two oboes , two horns , two violins , viola , cello , double bass . To reinforce the bass voice was at that time also without separate listing bassoon and harpsichord - Continuo used, different on the participation of the harpsichord Disagreement exists.

Performance time: approx. 20 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 drafted in the first half of the 19th century (see there) and can therefore only be transferred to a work composed around 1767 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: Allegro

F major, 3/4 time, 145 bars

The beginning of the movement of the simply structured, divertimento to minuet- like Allegro is unusual for a symphony of the time: The first theme is held in a restrained to dance-like character (as well as long stretches of the rest of the movement) and is only presented piano by the strings (not like otherwise common through the entire orchestra in the Forte). The four-bar antecedent is based on triads (motif 1), in the six-bar suffix the bass first plays a vocal twist in the range of the sixth downwards under the tones of the violins (motif 2), the theme presentation is then ended with a short cadence figure . Immediately afterwards, the whole orchestra forte repeats the theme as a triplet variant, after which the triplets become independent and lead to the dominant C major in bar 29 . Here motif 2 appears again, now in the upper parts (“second theme”). After four bars follows abruptly and forte first a descending line of the upper voices over continuous chains of triplets in the bass (motif 3), then an eighth note movement rising in octave jumps (motif 4). The final group repeats its three-bar phrase with the triplet chains alternating upper and lower voices (motif 5) and ends the exposition with unison triplet chains in staccato.

The development begins with the antecedent of the first theme in C major, then processes the head of the first theme with a change of key and characteristic, energetic forte interjections of the tutti. In bar 39 forte begins a variant of the octave jumps from motif 4, followed by the three-measure motif 5 and - surprisingly with a change to the piano and leading to the recapitulation - the "second theme" (motif 2).

The recapitulation from bar 96 is structured similar to the exposition. However, the “second theme” is missing in its usual place, instead his head is “handed in” in the coda from bar 137, which seems like the movement is coming to rest in the piano. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Second movement: Andante

B flat major, 2/4 time, 90 bars

The vocal movement is only for strings and mostly piano. The violins mostly play in parallel, and over long stretches also viola and bass, so that the andante mostly has a two-part system.

The main theme (bars 1 to 9) catches the eye in the first half with its dotted rhythm and the decorative trills. The second half begins with the dotted rhythm alternating between upper and lower parts, and triplets are added (these are reminiscent of the previous Allegro). The theme is then repeated, but after a few bars it swings to the dominant F major, in which the triplets now dominate as descending triad breaks, tone repetition, ascending scales and staccato figures. The final group repeats its four-bar motif of ascending and descending triad breaks in triplets.

The development brings the theme head first to the dominant, but then moves the theme head back to the tonic in B flat major and from here slips to the tonic parallel in G minor. This is followed by variants of the triplet motifs with the triad breaks and tone repetitions from the exposition, mostly in a minor key. The second half of the development consists of chains of triplets in the dialogue of upper and lower voices.

The recapitulation begins in bar 70 with the triplet triad breaks corresponding to bar 14 (the first theme is missing) and then follows the course of the exposition. Depending on your point of view, you can see a two-part structure in the sentence. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Third movement: Menuet alla zoppa. Un poco Allegretto

F major, 3/4 time, with trio 36 bars

Beginning of the minuet

The minuet “limping” is far removed from the usual character of the (dance) minuet due to the “consistently fixed, strangely rigid-looking dotted rhythm” in the oboes and violins that lead the voice. The dotted rhythm alternating with "normal" quarters causes an unusual, limping shift in the center of the bars, which gives the impression that 3/4 time is constantly alternating with 2/4 time.

The minuet including the trio (there without horns) can also be found in the Baryton Trio in D major Hoboken Directory XI: 52. In the symphony the contrast between minuet and trio is increased (minuet high or normal, trio very low register). It is unclear which version is the original. The minuet may be an allusion to the “Musical Instrumental Calendar” published by Haydn's predecessor as Kapellmeister, Gregor Joseph Werner , in 1748: The fourth sentence on the August calendar is called “The Limping Messenger”.

Like the minuet, the trio consists of two eight-bar parts. It contrasts strongly with the minuet through the key of F minor, the shadowy, gloomy sound surface with little kinetic energy. The somewhat “Slavic” character is reminiscent of the trios from symphonies No. 28 and No. 29 . The first part is only intended for strings, while the second part is accompanied by the horns as a sustained, “threatening” recumbent tone that sounds partly dissonant to the harmonies of the strings.

Fourth movement: Presto

F major, 3/8 time, 171 bars

Beginning of Presto

Similar to Haydn's earliest symphonies, the Presto is held in 3/8 time and - similar to the minuet - is characterized by its unusual, eccentric rhythm and also by abrupt dynamic contrasts. The main “theme” (motif 1) consists of a staccato figure interspersed with pauses over a continuous bass movement on F, whereby the gap on the first bar in the upper parts is filled by the bass accompaniment with its octave jump. A rhythmic, rising figure (motif 2) leads to the dominant C major, where in bar 25 piano the chromatic motif 3, again interspersed with pauses, begins. After only four bars, Haydn briefly swings to the forte, with the rhythm now being enriched by triplets, followed by two four-bar piano phrases of the strings with an unusual harmony sequence (including reaching A minor). An operatic, energetic unison gesture (motif 4) leads over motif 2 and a tremolo sound surface with the octave jump bass figure from motif 1 ("tremolo passage") to the final group, where motif 1 appears again as a variant including the echo-like piano repetition.

The development processes motifs 2 and 3 with an abrupt alternation of forte and piano, from measure 88 motif 2 is sequenced downwards and changes into a variant of the tremolo passage.

In the recapitulation (from bar 107) the main theme is varied, with the bass playing an octave higher and leaving out the deep, priming opening note, instead the upper voices play their one staccato tone in the first and third thematic bars on the first (and not as before on the second) cycle time. The rest of the recapitulation is structurally similar to the exposition. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

“The Presto Finale is based entirely on an accentuated motif that is difficult to grasp with the ear; later the eccentricity becomes dominant, with abrupt behavior and new beginnings, dynamic changes and chromatic harmonies. "

“The idiosyncratic, broken rhythm of the theme over the pounding bass figures, the insertion of small contrasting episodes, the frequent dynamic changes, the surprising harmonic turns, with all this shows and Haydn how he decided here from the template of his leading 3/8 final movements breaks out (...). "

"The fourth movement even trumps the minuet in terms of originality: It combines the principle of the triplet movement (" short of breath "three- eighth time , in the manner of a baroque gigue ) with that of the" limp "(" after "-beating melody fragments)."

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  2. ↑ a b c Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 , pp. 184, 265, 266.
  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 e 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 1, Baden-Baden 1989, pp. 126-127.
  5. ^ 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. 116.
  6. ↑ a b c The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in many recordings.
  7. ↑ a b c James Webster: Hob.I: 58 Symphony in F major. Information text on Symphony No. 58 by Joseph Haydn of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  8. ↑ According to James Webster, the andante has a "cyclic two-part" form.
  9. ↑ a b c Wolfgang Marggraf : The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. The symphonies of the years 1766–1772. http://www.haydn-sinfonien.de/ Accessed June 24, 2013.
  10. ^ A b c Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, p. 278.
  11. ↑ Ludwig Finscher (2000, pp. 265–266): "However, Werner's sentence is downright comical, while Haydn is all about a metric effect, which is quite harmless (...)."
  12. ^ Haydn Festival Eisenstadt: Joseph Haydn. Symphony No. 58 in F major, Hob.I: 58. Information about the concert on June 19, 2009. Accessed June 24, 2013.

Web links, notes

See also