Symphony B (Haydn)

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The Symphony in B flat major Hoboken directory I: 108 wrote Joseph Haydn is 1762. Contrary to their high number an early work and therefore also carries the number labeled "B".

General

Joseph Haydn (painting by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, around 1770)

Joseph Haydn probably composed the symphony “B” around 1762. The work is called “ Partita ” in old copies and was probably therefore not included in the symphonies of older Haydn researchers. However, since Haydn lists the composition in the list of his works from 1805 under the symphonies as “No. 7 ", it is now counted among the symphonies and is numbered" B "(after the name in the Haydn book by Howard Chandler Robbins Landon ) or" 108 "(based on the numbering in the Hoboken index). The symphony “B” was first published in 1934 as the “unknown partita in B flat major”.

"Compared to other early symphonies, this B flat major symphony is particularly marked by the juxtaposition of ancient and" modern "features."

Peter Brown emphasizes the “Miniature Symphony” as Haydn's most successful contribution to the genre of the (chamber) symphony: If Paul Anton Esterházy had heard the work, he would certainly have wanted to hire Haydn to lead his chamber music.

To the music

Instrumentation: two oboes , two french 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. 15 minutes (depending on the tempo and if the prescribed repetitions are observed)

With regard to 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 1762 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 molto

B major, 4/4 time, 48 bars

The Allegro molto is unusually short with its 48 bars. In the first theme (main theme, a second theme is missing), the trills and the bass figure “walking” in regular eighth notes create a baroque atmosphere. From bar 5, “a new, youthful language breaks through” , with the violins playing accented tremolo, to which the wind players make short interjections. After emerging, upbeat-rhythmic phrases and a string of the trill figure from the beginning of the sentence, the final group begins in the dominant F major, which contains sixteenth-note chains falling in seconds and takes up the rhythmic phrase again at the very end of the exposition.

The middle section (“development”) begins with the first theme in F major. With the tremolo passage, Haydn changes to G minor and from here sequences a combination of scale and trill figure downwards, which in measure 28 ends in G minor. Using the rhythmic phrase, Haydn then changes over E flat major back to the tonic B flat major, in which the recapitulation begins in bar 33. Compared to the exposition, this is shortened by replacing the five-bar passage with a rhythmic phrase and trill figure with a two-bar, ascending gesture. Both parts of the sentence (exposition as well as development and recapitulation) are repeated.

Second movement: Menuetto: Allegretto

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

The theme of the minuet is characterized in its first half by the dialogue between strings and solo winds, both of which play both motifs with an upbeat (this one in dotted rhythm). The strings repeat their motif, then oboes and strings together end the first part, with the dotted rhythm dominating. At the beginning of the second part, the opening motif is continued alternately from high and low register, then the action calms down over an organ point on F. In bar 19, the first part is taken up again, the second half being varied.

In the trio, the solo bassoon enters into a dialogue with the strings. In the first part (which is ten measures in length as in the minuet) the bassoon confirms the key of E flat major introduced by the string reversal with a repeated leading figure. In the second part it sequences a small figure downwards before the first part is repeated. Howard Chandler Robbins Landon feels reminded of the trio from Symphony No. 6 during the bassoon solo .

Third movement: Andante

G minor, 6/8 time, 35 bars

Beginning of the Andante

The Andante is only for strings and is consistently piano. It begins like a fugue with the main theme staggered: the 2nd violin begins with the voice leading, followed by viola and bass in counterpoint (bars 1 to 4). In measure 4, the 1st violin repeats the theme a fifth higher, while the 2nd violin now plays the counterpoint. In bar 7, the viola and bass begin, while the counterpoint is taken up by the first violin. The beginning of the movement is therefore reminiscent of a baroque trio sonata, as is its scoring. The further course is also determined by baroque techniques (especially sequences) and receives “almost a Handelian character” : In bar 11 a more vocal dialogue between high and low strings in B flat major begins with a sweeping twist in sixteenths. The sixteenth note movement then continues in the 2nd violin, while the 1st violin and viola / bass play an octave jump motif with decimals apart. Sixteenths movement and octave jump motif are sequenced downwards. Both can be derived from the main theme.

The second part first picks up on the head of the opening theme in B flat major and then sequences two variants of the previous passage with the octave jump motif downwards. The recapitulation from bar 27 begins with the theme in G minor, with the bass now shifting in by one bar and the 1st violin playing a recumbent tone. The dialogue figure between high and low strings is extended, but the passage with the octave jump motif is left out. Both parts of the sentence (exposition as well as development and recapitulation) are repeated.

Fourth movement: Presto

B flat major, 2/4 time, 96 bars

In Presto, Haydn's individual traits are more evident than in the other movements, Howard Chandler Robbins Landon even describes him as significantly more original than the Presto closing movements of other early symphonies. The first theme is upbeat and characterized by an energetic eighth note movement (at the beginning in the upper parts as a tone repetition) as well as sometimes strong interval jumps. From bar 8, the tone repetition and eighth note movement are amplified in an unscrewing figure and lead to the dominant F major. In F major then follows the contrasting second theme only for the violins in the piano, which consists of a short melody interrupted by pauses. The rhythm of the theme consisting of a quarter and two eighths is also taken up in the subsequent forte operation, before rapid runs end the exposition.

The middle section (“development”) leads the head from the first theme as a variant with rhythmic phrases starting from F major to B major, E flat major and G major. With the unison passage, Haydn returns to the tonic and thus to the recapitulation from bar 60. This is structured like the exposition. Both parts of the sentence (exposition as well as development and recapitulation) are repeated.

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ Information page of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  2. ^ A b c d e Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. Universal Edition & Rocklife, London 1955, pp. 24 to 26, 224 to 225.
  3. ^ A b Anthony van Hoboken: Joseph Haydn. Thematic-bibliographical catalog raisonné, Volume I. Schott-Verlag, Mainz 1957, p. 229.
  4. ^ A b c d e f 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 1, Baden-Baden 1989, pp. 78 to 79.
  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. 61: “(…) and Symphony“ B ”(…) becomes up to its time Haydn's most consistently satisfying contribution to the genre. If Prince Paul Anton Esterházy had heard this work, he would certianly have wanted to employ Haydn to direct his chamber music. ”
  6. ↑ 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).
  7. ↑ James Webster: Symphony No. 108 in B flat major, Hob.I: 108. Information text on Haydn's Symphony “B” at the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt, see under web links.
  8. ↑ a b c The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
  9. ^ Michael Walter: Symphonies. In Armin Raab, Christine Siegert, Wolfram Steinbeck (eds.): The Haydn Lexicon. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2010, ISBN 978-3-89007-557-0 , pp. 693-710.

Web links, notes

See also