73rd Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony in D major Hoboken directory I: 73 wrote Joseph Haydn probably in 1781. The contemporary "La chasse" (hunting) refers to the final movement, Haydn composed of a same period opera took over. The slow movement of the symphony is based on Haydn's song “Gegenliebe”.

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

Haydn probably composed Symphony No. 73 in 1781 while he was employed as Kapellmeister by Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy .

The nickname “La chasse” (the hunt) is given on the first print of the symphony from 1782 by the publisher Christoph Torricella in Vienna. It was passed down many times afterwards and was probably also known to Haydn. The title refers to the last movement that Haydn took over from the overture of his opera “La fedeltà premiata” (The rewarded loyalty), composed in 1780.

In a contemporary catalog (“Kees catalog”), the opera movement comes first and the Allegro last. Haydn may have initially intended the order of the sentence in this order and then changed it again later, but the slow introduction speaks against it.

A review of the issue of Torricella in the Magazin der Musik of 1783 states:

“This symphony is just as worthy of its master as the latest Op. 18 lib. 1, 2, 3 and in no way needs our fame. Upon hearing them, the beginning and the wonderful processing of the series immediately reveals the head of the great author, who seems to be inexhaustible in new ideas. Since in this as well as in all of his symphonies there are difficulties and unexpected courses which require experienced and correct players and which are not thrown into it by chance without carefully observing or knowing the preliminary drawings; so no lover or other insecure gambler should dare to try it, but know them first, so as not to survive with shame. Heydn would like to crown this great symphony epoch with several such wonderful works, and thereby bring all bad symphony writers to silence or to better work on their fleeting essays, which no one but themselves enjoy. "

To the music

Instrumentation: flute , two oboes , two bassoons , two horns , two violins , viola , cello , double bass ; in the fourth movement there are also two trumpets and timpani . 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 drafted in the first half of the 19th century (see there) and can therefore only be transferred to Symphony No. 73 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: Adagio - Allegro

Adagio: D major, 3/4 time, bars 1 to 26

Haydn opens the symphony as a simple cadenza ( tonic in D major - subdominant G major - dominant A major - tonic), which is designed as a detailed carpet of sound from the wind instruments in knocking staccato chords with a grounding string accompaniment. After more than ten bars, a new motif in the dotted rhythm of the 1st violin alternates between high and low registers (distance of two octaves ) to an accent passage with a gradually ascending motif, before the adagio ends with the tapping tone repetition in unison . This final figure anticipates the tone repetition prelude from the main theme of the following Allegro.

Allegro: D major, 4/4 time, bars 27 to 151

Beginning of the Allegro

The Allegro starts with the periodically structured main theme. The theme is composed of a motif with a tone repetition prelude of three eighths (as at the end of the Adagio, reminiscent of the beginning of the Allegro of Symphony No. 96 ) and a sixteenth figure. The beginning of the tone repetition runs through the rest of the movement. The theme is initially introduced piano only by the violins, then repeated by the whole orchestra forte. The theme does not begin in the tonic in D major, but in the subdominant G major and only ends at the end of the first half in D major. The second half leads from the tonic parallel in B minor to the dominant A major.

The repetition of the theme throughout the orchestra continues in the second half of the theme into the following section, which is characterized by its continuous sixteenth-note figures in the violins. From bar 47 a new motif is presented in a staggered sequence of instruments. In addition to its dotted rhythm, the motif stands out due to the knocking prelude from three tone repeater eighth. Similar to the Adagio, it is followed by an accented motif. Before the violins begin the final section with virtuoso, brilliant runs and figurations, bar 59 creates a striking, strong contrast to the surrounding "noisy" events with its calm half notes, the pianissimo and the distant harmonies. The distant harmonies mean that the orchestra starts in bar 60 in B flat major and has to modulate from there to the dominant again . The exposition ends with the repeated tone repetition motif (here, however, not upbeat) in unison of the strings.

During the implementation, the main theme is intensively processed: First, the theme of the theme is led through different keys and placed between the instruments in staggered use. From bar 80, Haydn concentrates on the tone repetition prelude, initially with “effective pauses as a means of increasing tension” in oboes and violins, then in a polyphonic passage throughout the orchestra. With the accented motif and the tone repetition motif from the end of the exposition, the action leads without interruption into the recapitulation.

“Haydn has hardly ever written such a monotonous, purposeful and thematically focused development. It is the first major example of a superordinate form context that is developed exclusively from thematic work on a single motif and yet is richly differentiated in itself. "

The recapitulation (from bar 107) begins fortissimo with the main theme throughout the orchestra and goes straight into the passage with the continuous sixteenth-note movement, which is somewhat more extensive than the exposition. The rest of the recapitulation is largely structured like the exposition. However, the strong contrast from bar 59 of the exposition has now been extended to three bars (bars 137 to 139), and the second passage with the continuous runs is varied. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

“Very dense thematic work characterizes (...) the entire first movement of the 73rd Symphony. Here the first four notes of the theme, a simple three-stroke motif, are almost omnipresent in the development - and also in the exposition - and in the recapitulation it becomes yours Processing once again extremely compacted and concentrated. "

Second movement: Andante

G major, 2/4 time, 114 bars

Beginning of the Andante

The movement is based on the song “Gegenliebe” composed by Haydn around the same time (based on a text by Gottfried August Bürger). It is unclear whether Haydn wrote the song or the symphony first, the former is more likely.

The movement is laid out like a rondo , with the couplets derived from the refrain :

  • Presentation of the song-like, simple theme (refrain, bars 1 to 24). The section is structured in three parts: In the first section (bars 1 to 10) the strings piano introduce the four-bar thematic main unit, which is characterized by its double tapping tone repetition and the dotted rhythm. It can be divided into two two-cycle modules. The theme is repeated, with the 2nd violin initially accompanied by continuous triplets (these appear several times in the further course of the movement). The second section (bars 11 to 17) continues the theme based on its second component, with the 2nd violin now accompanied by triplets throughout. In the third section (bars 17 to 24) the winds join for the first time. The section is characterized by ascending triplet scales in staccato, which are played alternately by upper and lower parts.
  • After the repetition of the first 24 bars, couplet 1 begins in G minor with the theme, then changes with triplet figures in the 1st violin through different B-flat keys and finally brings the theme in B flat major (first piano in 2nd violin and viola, then forte accompanied by the whole orchestra). The theme continues to change in the strings through different keys until in bar 50 the music breaks off on the dominant seventh chord in fortissimo.
  • The first repetition of the refrain (bars 61 to 74, G major) is slightly different from the beginning of the sentence. The winds are now also involved in the first two parts of the theme.
  • Couplet 2 (bars 74 to 95), like couplet 1, also begins in G minor, but then leads into other keys in pianissimo (e.g. A major / A minor) and then brings the theme to the staggered use of the Strings.
  • The second repetition of the refrain (bars 74 to 114) omits the second section of the theme. At the very end, the dotted rhythm of the theme appears again in pianissimo.

Third movement: Menuetto. Allegretto

D major, 3/4 time, with trio 74 bars

The minuet shows similarities to the string quartet opus 33 No. 6. The four-bar thematic main component consists of grounding tones in the bass and upward chromatic lead with a rhythmic structure of 1 + 1 + 2 bar units. Depending on the point of view, a similarity to the accented motif of the introduction can be seen in the motif. In the final turn, the whole orchestra leads the accent downward bar by bar.

The middle section continues the thematic material briefly piano, then changes to a serious unison passage with minor turbidity and ends as an organ point on the dominant A. The “recapitulation” is varied compared to the opening part, in that the voices are swapped (grounding tones now in the upper parts, chromatic lead bass), and the final turn is more extended.

In the trio (also in D major), oboe and bassoon play a dialogue in which they alternate with voice guidance and accompanying movement from separate, even quarters. The strings each accompany on the center of the bar with a grounding chord. At the beginning of the second part, the horns with accompanying recumbent tone join first, then the flute also takes part in the voice guidance, which is finally taken over by the strings with the vigorously repeated accompanying figure.

Fourth movement: (Finale) Presto

D major, 6/8 time, 252 bars

Haydn took the movement from the overture to his opera “La fedeltà premiata”, which was premiered in February 1781, and only added the repetitions for the exposition. Since the Roman goddess of the hunt Diana plays an essential role in the opera, the Presto contains a lot of hunting motifs (e.g. fast 6/8 time, triad horn motifs).

The movement begins forte throughout the orchestra with a fanfare-like hunting theme, which changes from its unison signal into energetic eighth notes with chord hits (“first theme”). From bar 20 the violins change piano with suggested eighth-note figures to the dominant A, which is emphasized in the hammering tone repetition of the whole orchestra.

The subsequent hunting signal for oboes and horns (again in the tonic D major) quotes a traditional hunting call that was also used by other composers in hunting compositions. In the “Manuel du Chasseur” (hunting manual) published in 1780, the signal can be found as “l'ancienne Vue” (the first sighting of the deer).

The strings begin piano with another motif over sustained D in the bass, which is repeated with the accompaniment of the wind instruments. The following forte section contains another “hunting motif” with tone repetition and triad breaking, the continuous, energetic eighth note chains then extend to the end of the exposition.

The development (bars 81 to 165) initially brings new material to the solo oboes (ascending and descending figure of five notes) piano over the eighth notes of the violins. From bar 99 the passage from E is repeated, whereby the oboe motif is varied by adding flute and bassoon, shortening it to three notes and doubling the note values. The passage with the hunting motif from the final section of the exposition is followed by a piano passage of the strings with several key changes. The last part of the development is characterized by the numerous "driving" prelude grinder figures and the hammering unison tone repeater.

The recapitulation from bar 166 begins with the first theme as in the exposition. The section with the hunting signal “l'ancienne Vue” for oboes and horns is initially left out; instead, the first theme is followed by the string figure over sustained D, which in the exposition was only played after the hunting signal. Only after a variant of the last Forte section of the exposition does the hunting signal follow in the coda-like ending, then the movement ends pianissimo (in the overture as a transition to the action on the stage).

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f James Webster: Hob.I: 73 Symphony in D major. Information text on Symphony No. 73 by Joseph Haydn of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  3. ^ A b Walter Lessing: The symphonies of 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. 196 to 198.
  4. ↑ Horst Walter: La chasse. In Armin Raab, Christine Siegert, Wolfram Steinbeck (eds.): The Haydn Lexicon. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2010, ISBN 978-3-89007-557-0 , p. 145.
  5. ^ A b Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, pp. 385 to 387, 720 to 721.
  6. ^ A b Anthony van Hoboken: Joseph Haydn. Thematic-bibliographical catalog raisonné, Volume I. Schott-Verlag, Mainz 1957, pp. 110 to 111.
  7. ↑ Heide Volckmar-Waschk (Haydn-Werkausgabe, page X) considers it impossible that the first movement with the slow introduction was originally intended as the final movement. She considers it possible that the final movement Hoboken list Ia: 4 represented the original final movement of Symphony 73, but Haydn was then bothered by the fact that the symphony, after the slow movement with the rondo-like features, also had a rondo as the final movement and therefore inserted the opera overture.
  8. ↑ Reference: an edition by the publisher Hummel with the symphonies nos. 62, 63, 70, 71, 74 and 75 (Robbins Landon 1955 p. 386).
  9. ↑ The trumpets and timpani can only be found in some of the traditional parts. They probably only belong to the original version of the movement as an overture (Heide Volckmar-Waschk, Stephen Fisher: Symphonies around 1780/81. In: Joseph Haydn Institute Cologne (Ed.): Joseph Haydn Works. Series I, Volume 10. G. Henle-Verlag, Munich 2016, page 99).
  10. ↑ 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).
  11. ↑ Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 , pp. 306 to 307.
  12. ↑ The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not observed in some recordings.
  13. ^ Wolfgang Marggraf : The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. The symphonies of the years 1773-1784. http://www.haydn-sinfonien.de/ , accessed June 24, 2013.
  14. ↑ Description based on Haydn's 2016 edition, page 99
  15. ↑ According to Anthony van Hoboken (1957, p. 111), Alex L. Ringer mentions (“The Chasse as a musical Topic of the 18th Century” (Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. VI No. 2 [Summer 1953], p. 148) –159)) on p. 150 a signal “Sourcillade” and says that Haydn's quote is based on Dampierre's version of this signal from 1723.
  16. ↑ Haydn wrote “cum licentia” on a harmonic change in bar 139, see the fourth movement of the symphony No. 71 .

Web links, notes

See also