MUSIC 427/627

Early and Middle Period Symphonies of Franz Joseph Haydn

Haydn’s background (1732-1809)

 Recruited as a choir boy very young; received voice and some keyboard training but no composition training (or even general education); after his voice changed he was dismissed from choir; taught violin lessons, studied counterpoint on his own, then became a student of Nicola Porpora (1686-1768)  Worked as court composer in the court of minor nobleman for about 1-2 yrs, then hired by Esterhazy court for most of the rest of his career; late in life made trips to London to put on concerts

Haydn’s style and Early Symphonies

 Gradually abandoned many pre-classical features  Used 4-movements more often and earlier than other composers  Abandoned dance-like, triple-meter finale  Haydn wrote his 3 “times of day” symphonies in 1761 (No. 6, “Le Matin,” No. 7, “Le Midi,” and No. 8, “Le Soir”). All of these symphonies have concertante (solo) passages for winds and strings  Symphony No. 6 “Le Matin”  First movement is modeled after French Overture with slow intro, dotted rhythms; ends with half cadence to propel into fast section. Programmatic suggestion of sunrise  Haydn later became known for slow introduction sections  After slow introduction, movement is a full-blown sonata-allegro form  Recapitulation is an example of a “False Recap:” part of theme is stated (in horn), then starts over, interrupting  Le Midi No. 7:  This is different from Symphonies 6 & 8 in having 5 movements.; extra is “Recitativo” (2nd)  This movement also unusual in beginning in C Major, ending in B minor  Minuet (4th of 5) has lots of solo playing including double bass in trio  Le Soir, No. 8: returns to 4 movements  1st movement unusual in triple meter (no slow intro); 2 solo violin parts  2nd movement contains asymmetrical phrases (often heard in Haydn’s later music).  Finale is subtitled “La Tempesta” (The Storm), marked presto. Another example of program music: in this case, depicting an evening storm.

Mid-Period Haydn: Sturm und Drang (Late 1760’s, early 70’s)

 Composers reacted to the superficiality of style galant; Sturm und Drang literature was popular. Many of these symphonies were in minor keys (unusual for pre-classic or classical symphonies)  Example: Symphony No. 49 “La Passione” (1768)  First, Third, and Fourth Movements are rounded binary (with repeats, and return of opening idea in second repeated section)  Thematic unity: the two slow movements (1 and 3) have many similarities, and the second and fourth (the two fast movements) are similarly linked  Other “Sturm und Drang” symphonies include the “Trauer” (“Mourning”) Symphony, No. 44, and the “Farewell” Symphony, No. 45