87th Symphony (Haydn)

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The Symphony No. 87 in A major was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1785. It belongs to the series of Paris symphonies .

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

The symphony no. 87 belongs together with the symphonies no. 82 to 86 to the so-called "Paris symphonies". These are commissioned compositions for the Paris “Le Concert de la Loge Olympique”. Contrary to its number, it is probably the first symphony in the series in chronological order. For the history of its creation, see Symphony No. 82 .

To the music

Instrumentation: flute , two oboes , two bassoons , two horns , two violins , viola , cello , double bass . 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. 87 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

A major, 4/4 time, 201 time

Beginning of Vivace

The Vivace opens the whole orchestra forte with the first theme, which is made up of three motif components: energetic tone repetition motif on A, A major - triad in eighth notes, closing phrase downwards with a rhythm similar to the tone repetition motif (bars 1 to 3). The bass accompanies the voice-leading violin in a continuous eighth note movement. The rhythm of the tone repetition motif and the continuous eighth note movement are formative for the entire movement and contribute to the driving impulse. The A major triad and the final turn are repeated, the triad being resolved into tremolo-like sixteenth notes (bars 4 and 5).

A phrase in unison repeated several times (initially only in the strings and bassoon, then also in the other instruments) leads to a passage that is characterized by a motif of three accented half notes . At the beginning, this three-tone motif is combined with the tone repetition motif and the closing phrase from the first theme, whereby the half notes form a sixth down and the bass begins offset to the upper parts. Then the emphasized half notes - now forming an ascending line in seconds - appear dominant: Accompanied by a floating staccato carpet of eighth notes in the piano, they are picked up by the strings as well as the solo woodwinds (in bar 27 even in the reverse, i.e. as a downward movement). The following forte passage in the dominant E major is announced over a long drawn out B major ( double dominant ) and a crescendo . This (from bar 37, can be interpreted as a “second theme” depending on your point of view) contains, as essential elements, a motif of triad breaks (the rhythm corresponds to the tone repetition motif from the beginning of the sentence), a falling line in separate movement and a suggestion.

The subsequent final group in E major contrasts with the previous event: floating on a carpet of eighth-note repetition, a scale progression of six tones follows in countermovement between the 1st violin (upwards) and viola (downwards). The rhythm is again identical to the note repetition motif from the beginning of the sentence. A vocal line, which is introduced with two half notes, leads to the short forte use of the entire orchestra with tremolo and the suggestion phrase from bar 43. However, the propelling eighth note continues: the exposition ends pianissimo only after the scale motif has appeared again. It is repeated.

The beginning of the development begins in sharp contrast to the end of the exposition, with the tone repetition motif with the triad motif (from the beginning of the sentence) forte leading from A minor through different keys (B flat major, G major, C major, A minor , B major) and is reduced further and further. Furthermore, from bar 85, the three-tone motif is illuminated in different timbres and instrumentations, including the flute's solo interludes. Subsequently (from bar 101) the tone repetition motif dominates again, which is combined with the suggested phrase from bar 43. Finally, the scale motif piano is also led into harmoniously distant areas: the scales become fixed in G sharp major, where the eighth-note pulse that had almost run through until now breaks off. Haydn then set a general pause of over two bars before the scale motif starts again from E major and announces the beginning of the reprise from bar 131. This passage (leading into the harmoniously distant G sharp major and long general pause) is often emphasized in reviews of this symphony.

The recapitulation is initially structured like the exposition up to bar 144. A noticeable deviation is the design of the passage with the three-tone motif (in the variant with a sixth) and a variant of the closing phrase from the opening theme in a countermovement over an organ point on E (bars 152 to 156). The development and recapitulation are also repeated.

Second movement: Adagio

D major, 3/4 time, 104 bars

At the beginning the strings introduce the solemn, hymn-like theme with the tapping accompaniment of the horn. It shows a periodic structure made up of two-bar components. The first three two-strokes are constructed similarly to each other, the closing phrase has a double punch. The theme is then repeated, whereby the solo flute is involved partly as a figuration and partly as part of the voice (bars 9 to 16). From bar 16, the solo oboe starts first, followed by the solo bassoon with a new double strike motif - accompanied by continuous broken chords ( Alberti bass ) of the 2nd violin. This even movement in sextoles is then continued by the first violin as a solo figure. From bar 24 the opening theme follows as a variant in the dominant A major. In the first two-beat, the flute and first violin are in the lead, the oboes in the second. The third two-stroke continues their second motif. The double beat motif now turns into an energetic forte passage with a unison run and chromatic line ascending in the tremolo. The exposition of the movement ends with the final section with a solo flute and oboe in A major and is reminiscent of the cadenza of a concert.

The development (bars 43 to 55) continues the variant of the theme with the second motif, with Haydn changing to F sharp major. After just 13 bars, the tonic in D major and thus the recapitulation is reached again when the theme starts in bar 9. The further course is structured similar to that of the exposure. The cadenza-like final section, which is now played by the oboes and the 1st violin, is extended with extensive, virtuoso triad breaks by the woodwinds (flute, oboes, bassoon). At the end of the movement, the head of the topic appears again in a piano rich in timbre.

If you want to specify a structure, the sentence could also be seen as a two-part form, in which the "implementation" represents a variation of the beginning of the sentence. A three-part song form (ABA 'structure) can then be interpreted within the two parts of the sentence.

"It's a movement with beautiful themes and varied and colorful instrumentation, with passages for solo woodwinds that may have been designed to suit Parisian tastes."

Third movement: Menuet

A major, 3/4 time, with trio 72 bars

The whole orchestra is predominantly involved in the minuet. The lively, gallant and periodically structured main theme is characterized by floating phrases with an accent in the staggered use between upper and lower parts. The eight-bar first part is followed in the second by 16 bars of processing, eight bars of recapitulation and twelve bars of coda with elements of the main theme.

The trio is also in A major. The solo oboe plays a memorable, "bucolic-rural" (e) melody over a brief string accompaniment.

Fourth movement: Finale. Vivace

A major, 2/2 time (alla breve), 215 measures

Beginning of Vivace

The strings begin piano with the upbeat, propelling main theme. The theme contains an ascending triad motif with tone repetition, which is important for the further structure of the movement (bars 3 and 5, "triad motif"). A fully composed crescendo follows the theme from bar 9 : a new motif is first repeated in the strings piano, then forte, and finally the other instruments follow. After a fermata , the main theme begins again, now with the flute participating in the voice guidance and varied accompaniment. A forte passage of the entire orchestra with an energetic tone repetition motif leads to the variant of the main theme in the dominant E major: The head of the theme (except for the bassoon without bass accompaniment) corresponds to that at the beginning of the movement, but the further material is then offset with the triad motif Use denied. Virtuoso runs of the violins from bar 57 lead to the final section, which is characterized by its motif with chromatic pendulum movement and tone repetition as well as the triad motif.

After an initial gesticulating unison figure, the development leads to variants of the main theme from F sharp minor via D major to E major. The thematic passages are each held piano for strings, when appearing in D major and E major, a countervoice-like figure in the 1st violin is added. In between the whole orchestra plays forte interludes, the first with syncopation movement , the second with the triad motif in the bass. The following, polyphonic section with material from the main theme is followed by a detailed forte passage with runs, tremolo and the triad motif. In measure 156, after an organ point on E, the tonic A major is reached, albeit surprisingly with the final section (and not the main theme, as would otherwise be the case at the beginning of a recapitulation). After further long, modulating tremolo figures, the musical action comes to rest in bars 192–193 with two fermatas.

As at the beginning of the sentence, the main theme in A major begins at this caesura. This “reprise entry”, however, is unusually short: Immediately after the topic, a noisy tutti ends the sentence. The unusual form of the sentence is also pointed out in the literature:

“… The finale of I: 87 [is] simple in a certain way, but at the same time one of the strangest sonata movements (…) that Haydn wrote: the thematic substance is little, the single theme is never presented as a single one, but breaks constantly in noisy tutti development sections, the actual development illuminates the topic (as in the first movement, but in more detail) on closely juxtaposed tonal levels (f sharp, D, b, E) instead of working thematically - and the recapitulation is in nine bars Subject plus 12 bars of cadence tutti reduced. In place of a movement tamed by a balanced form in the typical tones and techniques of a finale, there is permanent turbulence, after which it has become fixed in seventh chords (bar 192f.), The theme that finally appears is just a funny apercu. The audience, who were so happy about the jokes in the finale of Mozart's Paris Symphony, will have enjoyed the apercu. "

“The finale of Symphony 87 is also completely limited to the motivic material, which is introduced with the theme and immediately worked through in the exposition: there is no secondary theme, and neither is there a regular recapitulation. After an excessively long development - it takes up more than half of the entire movement with 110 bars - the first movement of the theme is heard again in the basic key 22 bars before the end after a fermata pause, and then a short coda closes this very lively, powerful movement. "

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ 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).
  2. ↑ Bernard Harrison (1998: 89) discusses the beginning of sentences with regard to echoes of the Mannheim school .
  3. ↑ a b Symphony No. 87 in A major (Hob. I / 87). In Wulf Konold (Hrsg.): Lexicon Orchestermusik Klassik A - K. B. Schott's Sons, Mainz 1992, ISBN 3-7957-8224-4 , pp. 167-169.
  4. ↑ Finscher (2000) describes this as "the first of the popular side clauses" , the second probably refers to the passage referred to here as the final group.
  5. ↑ Depending on the point of view, it can also be interpreted as a second topic, e.g. B. von Lessing (1989) and Marggraf (2009) referred to as a page set / page theme.
  6. ↑ Haydn Festival Eisenstadt: Hob.I: 87 Symphony in A major . Informational text on Symphony No. 87 by Joseph Haydn. http://www.haydn107.com/index.php?id=2&sym=87 , accessed October 2, 2012.
  7. ^ A b Walter Lessing: The Symphonies by Joseph Haydn, in addition: All Masses. A series on Südwestfunk Baden-Baden 1987-89. 3rd volume, Baden-Baden 1989, p. 4.
  8. ↑ a b Wolfgang Marggraf : The Paris Symphonies (1785/1786) . http://www.haydn-sinfonien.de/text/chapter6.2.html , accessed October 7, 2012. Status of the text: 2009.
  9. ↑ a b The last repetition of the development and recapitulation is not kept in many recordings.
  10. ↑ Marggraf (2009): “The extended cadences for several instruments seem like a reminder of similar phenomena from the early Esterházy period. (...) One could think of the great cadenza, played by violin and violoncello, at the end of the second movement of Symphony 7 ("Le Midi") . "
  11. ^ A b Bernard Harrison: Haydn: The "Paris" Symphonies. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1998, ISBN 0-521-47164-8 , pp. 89-99.
  12. ↑ Marggraf (2009): The sentence can be "described as a two-strophic system (...) in which each stanza is laid out as a three-part song form."
  13. ↑ a b c Ludwig Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-921518-94-6 , pp. 337-345.
  14. ↑ Finscher: Joseph Haydn and his time. 2000, pp. 334–335: "A topic that seeps into unspecific runs, gets stuck in the forte and has to start again, ie the false start (...)."

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See also