66th Symphony (Haydn)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Symphony in B flat major Hoboken directory I: 66 wrote Joseph Haydn probably 1774/75 during his tenure as Kapellmeister to Prince I. Nikolaus Esterházy .

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

The symphonies No. 66, 67 and 68 were printed in 1779 by the publisher Johann Julius Hummel (1728–1798) in the order No. 67-66-68 as “Opus 15”. Ernst Ludwig Gerber praises the symphony No. 66 in the review of this print in his Lexikon der Tonkünstler (1812–1814):

"Op. 15) Berlin b. Hummel, 1779 (...). These are from Haydn's most beautiful blooming period. (...) No. 2 full of splendor and fire has also stung Lyon (...). "

Symphony No. 66 (along with some other symphonies from this period) is sometimes referred to in literature as being routine and hardly inspired (compared to the symphonies composed in previous years), which on the one hand is due to Haydn's responsibility for the growing opera business at court is associated, on the other hand, with the fact that Haydn wanted to correspond to the "popular" taste. For example, Walter Lessing writes:

“Again we have a symphony of flawless fracture before us, sovereign in the mastery of the symphonic means, pleasing in the musical language, and yet we are not without regret for the idiosyncratic, experimental 'Sturm und Drang' works of the early 1770s remember in the face of a certain coolness and conventional smoothness, which is now noticeable in Haydn's symphonies. "

To the music

Instrumentation: two oboes , two horns , two bassoons , two violins , viola , cello , double bass . On the participation of a harpsichord - continuos in Haydn's symphonies have different opinions.

Performance time: approx. 20 minutes (depending on the tempo and adherence to the repetitions).

With the terms used here for the sonata form, 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 Symphony No. 66 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 con brio

B flat major, 4/4 time, 154 bars

In the first half, the first theme consists of a descending triad (first beat forte, rest of the piano) and an ascending double beat figure. Haydn used this sequence, which is “quite a commonplace idea”, as a variant several times in other places: at the beginning of the overture Hoboken Directory Ia: 7, the symphony No. 62 and one of the versions of the final movement of the symphony No. 53 . The steady eighth note movement of the first violin in the second half contains a characteristic triple tone repetition. The theme is repeated with stronger wind participation, but in the second half Haydn switches to fortissimo and brings the material in string unison and at sixteenth notes. The movement continues until the dominant F major is reached in bar 25 . Introduced with a descending F major chord (reminiscent of the opening triad), there is an interplay between the violins and short, knocking interjections of the other instruments with the triple, upbeat repetition. The propulsive movement of the violins then continues partly as a tremolo sound surface, from bar 39 in minor opacity.

The second theme (from bar 43) in F major for strings and accompanying bassoon is held piano and has a singing character. The final group repeats the second theme as a variant throughout the orchestra and forte.

The development begins piano in F major with the double beat motif from the first theme, then brings the complete headline fortissimo in the subdominant E flat major and then processes the upbeat, triple tone repetition alternating between upper and lower voices in minor. After the appearance of the second theme in G minor, the music with the tone repetition motif ebbs more and more and finally comes to a pianissimo almost to a standstill on the note a. The A (as the dominant from the previous D minor) then becomes the leading note of the tonic in B flat major, with which the recapitulation begins in bar 103.

In the recapitulation, the first half of the theme is expanded with the double stroke motif and is kept forte throughout, but the rest of the passage up to the second theme with the moving figures of the violins is shortened. In the second theme, the 1st bassoon is now involved in the voice guidance. The rest of the recapitulation largely corresponds to the exposition. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Second movement: Adagio

F major, 3/4 time, 89 bars

The upbeat, periodically structured theme of two four - measures ( measures 1 to 8) is presented piano by the strings, the violins play muted. Each four-stroke consists of two phrases separated by a pause, the first with a double beat, the second with a dotted rhythm at the beginning. This is followed as variants, initially the thematic four- bar from C major with a steady sixteenth-note movement , then the top of the theme, limited to two bars, now with an octave jump down.

With the brass section from bar 17, a crescendo passage begins , which increases in a pendulous movement of the 1st violin from pianissimo to a diminished seventh chord to fortissimo and ends again in accents with dotted rhythm. Longer staccato chains on the violins led to the cadence figure with pizzicato on the open G string and trills. Ludwig Finscher writes about this passage:

“The art of conveying the balance of opposites (...) is particularly beautiful in I: 66 in the harmonious-dynamic increase to the diminished seventh chord in fortissimo with subsequent 'atomization' and the subsequent relaxation in the ductus of the second theme, which is then still a graceful little joke (the pizzicato on the open G-string, bar 34) is put on. "

The short final group with a start reminding of the main topic in dotted rhythm ends the exposition.

In the development, the first theme is continued from F major with minor opacities. The second half of the development is in dramatic fortissimo with staccato courses in the bass, chord beats interrupted by pauses in the violins and reclining tones in the wind instruments.

In the recapitulation, the variant of the thematic four-stroke beat is initially left out for the main theme. Otherwise it largely corresponds to the exposure. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Third movement: Menuetto

B flat major, 3/4 time, with trio 52 bars

The theme of the minuet is characterized by its beginning in dotted rhythm, the triple tapping tone repetition and the double strike (the figures are partly reminiscent of the previous movements); the final figure contains a triplet. The middle section initially processes the opening motif, with the dotted rhythm becoming independent. Over the upbeat triplet figure, the music ebbs away in pianissimo with tone repetition of the 1st violin, before the beginning part is taken up again like a reprise (similar passage in the first movement before the beginning of the reprise). When picking up the opening section in bar 27, Haydn incorporated a rhythmic peculiarity in that the prelude consisting of dotted eighth notes with sixteenth notes is preceded as “slowing down” (dotted quarter with eighth note).

In the trio, the leading oboe, first bassoon and both violins play partly in dialogue, partly together a rural melody.

Fourth movement: Finale. Scherzando e presto

B flat major, 2/4 time, 242 bars

Beginning of the Scherzando e presto

The movement is structured like a rondo , with the thematic material of the couplets being derived from the refrain .

  • Presentation of the “playful” refrain (bars 1 to 28), which is structured according to the ABA pattern (A and BA are repeated). The first period of the chorus (part A, “main theme”) consists of two five-bar phrases (instead of the four-bar phrases usually used). Like the previous movements, it contains a characteristic double-beat motif. The B part brings the upbeat double strike motif in the staggered use of the violins. In this small Quint - canon already the subsequent tendency towards polyphony implies.
  • This can already be seen in the extensive couplet 1 (bars 29 to 65), which is mostly kept forte.
  • From bar 66 the ritornello is repeated as a variant with sixteenth notes and participation of the bassoon in the voice guidance.
  • Couplet 2 (bars 95 to 148) initially remains stuck in two fermatas and then brings the A part of the refrain in the subdominant E flat major, from the B part the polyphonic work continues with the double beat motif. Over an organ point on F, Haydn leads back to the tonic in B flat major.
  • On the third appearance of the ritornello from bar 149, the oboes also take part in the voice guidance. Then the music comes to a standstill again, then by throwing the theme head between the bassoons, violins and oboes it finally gets a new swing in the tutti , which, however, subsides again after a few bars.
  • The last appearance of the refrain as a triumphant “fortissimo apotheosis” ends the movement. “With her trudging around in fortissimo, the raw hoquetus-like leadership and the neighing laughter at the end, (...) [this appearance] can hardly be described as subtle; it could hardly be said here that art triumphs over entertainment. "

"The melodic and rhythmic design of this theme, the persistence with which it appears again and again in a clever way, plus the varied instrumentation and a couple of pretty wind solos shortly before the end - all of this forms a specifically 'Haydn' final type that gives us, always more perfectly formed, is still encountered in some later symphonies. The fame and popularity of the symphonic composer Haydn will not at least be based on these rousing, exuberant rondo movements. "

"In a virtuoso playful way, the dialectic of extreme material concentration and great imagination is driven to an extreme."

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  2. ↑ What is meant is Symphony No. 66.
  3. ^ Ernst Ludwig Gerber: New historical-biographical lexicon of the Tonkünstler (Leipzig 1812-14) with the additions published in the years 1792-1834 as well as the first publication of handwritten corrections and additions by Othmar Wessely (Graz 1966). Quoted in van Hoboken 1957, p. 96.
  4. ^ A b Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, p. 369.
  5. ↑ Robbins Landon (1955, p. 369): “The two B flat major works, No. 66 and 68, are thoroughly insipid, following the popular taste and contributing nothing of significance to the art of the symphony. "
  6. ^ 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 2, Baden-Baden 1989, pp. 132-133.
  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 James Webster: Hob.I: 66 Symphony in B flat major. Information text on Symphony No. 66 by Joseph Haydn of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  9. ↑ a b The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
  10. ↑ a b c d e Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 , pp. 288-290.

Web links, notes

See also