Symphony No. 56 (Haydn)

The Symphony in C major, Hoboken directory I: 56 Joseph Haydn composed in 1774 during his tenure as Kapellmeister to Prince Nikolaus Esterházy.

General

The autograph of the Symphony No. 56 is dated from 1774. Haydn was at this time Kapellmeister to Prince Nikolaus Esterházy.

In contrast to previous Haydn, festive C major - symphonies serious, thoughtful features are added here, such as in the first and second set of passages with " sober, bittersweet beauty." Howard Chandler Robbins Landon lifts the Symphony No. 56 as shown previously best Haydn symphony from C major type.

"Dynamic basis of the entire symphony also on the often kurzschrittigen contrast between forte and piano, in particular marked the envelope from the festive to the plain character. Haydn is not about motivic relationships between sets, but an evoked by allusions to the two characters of the Festive and Easy - Rural, clearly audible musical expression relation between sets. "

The work was popular, particularly in Paris: After her there known values ​​in 1777 it was published within a year of three French publishers.

" Works like this justified Haydn's popularity with the Parisian audience and eventually brought him those honorable job one, to whom we owe the creation of the Paris symphonies. "

About the Music

Instrumentation: two oboes, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, two violins, viola, cello, double bass. Bassoon and harpsichord were to reinforce the bass voice then even without special notation used, insist on the participation of the harpsichord in the literature different opinions. A bassoon obbligato part is written only in the second set.

Performance time: approximately 25 minutes (depending on adherence to the prescribed repetitions).

When used herein the terms of sonata form is considered that this scheme was designed in the first half of the 19th century (see below) and can be transmitted from hence composed only with restrictions on a 1774 work. - Note that this description and structure of sentences is to be understood as a suggestion. Depending on your view, other accruals and interpretations are possible.

First movement: Allegro di molto

C major, 3/4-time, 272 cycles

The set begins with a contrast theme (first theme), which is composed of three different components: (1) About two octaves falling C Major - triad in Forte and unison of the entire orchestra ( in bar 1 with horns, in cycle 2 with trumpets ), (2 ) eight-bar, singable and melancholic piano phrase for strings ) played (3 fanfare-like triad movement back in Forte and in unison by the whole orchestra ( tutti ). The theme ( bars 1 to 14) is ( unchanged part 1 with Tremolo, Part 2 with small changes in the second half, part 3) as a variant repeats.

In bar 28, the tutti opens with a rather long, energetic and dramatic block in forte to fortissimo, which is characterized by its run in the tremolo melody line and partly by chromaticism. At the end he goes surprisingly the piano and comes on the D major - seventh chord ( as an announcement of the second theme in G major ) to rest. The second theme in the strings Piano turn has a restrained - cantabile character and is of " rural simplicity " An ascending staccato scale of violins leads to the second tutti block fortissimo, in turn, with guided in the tremolo melody line, interrupted only by the piano slot ( clock 79 to 81 ). The exposition ends with G major - chord figures in staccato and unison, reminiscent of the opening triad of the sentence.

The development begins in contrasting exchange of fragments of the first two phrases of the first theme, where Haydn replaced by numerous keys. In bar 133 the music (of Phrase 2 of the first theme ) to B major in the short term to a stop, then take additional key change comes after imitative processing an eighth spherical figure with the tremolo block Forte. The return to the recapitulation ( from bar 155) Haydn has been designed that bars 3 and 4 of the second subject with its tone repetition and the octave jump cut down and be repeated from the first violin four times, while the second violin at the same time the figure plays from cycle 2 of the second subject with attached triad rise, " a likely absolutely unprecedented process. "

The recapitulation at measure 165 is changed in some details in relation to the exposure. For example, the oboe part in Phrase 2 of the first theme with the voice-leading, as in the now extended phrase 2 in its repetition. Likewise, the first oboe in the second theme, which is being prepared by " a mysterious timpani roll pianissimo ", with vocal leader. The fanfare-like final part of the sentence is somewhat prolonged and increased again as the " apotheosis ". Also, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Second movement: Adagio

F Major, 2/4-cycle, 141 cycles

The six-bar, solemnly -borne main theme is first piano ( playing muted violins) presented by the strings, then repeated with brass involvement in voice leading in the solo oboe. It is upbeat, contains accents and in addition to his quiet, steady motion also ausholende thirty-second figure. From bar 12 then the solo bassoon will not, under economical string accompaniment, the vocal line and engages the thirty-second figure back on. It is the first detailed solo passages for the bassoon in Haydn's symphonies. Then the solo oboe 1 leads to a sloping line to the first short Forte Passage of the entire orchestra, the cadence to the dominant of C major.

Pianissimo is now getting ready to vote the leading first oboe than in dotted rhythm emerging figure that is however abruptly interrupted by another cadence figure in Forte. This surprisingly leads to a mysterious and romantic passage in C minor with " Bruckner shear " intensity. In the final group from bar 43 which dominates " mumbling " Zweiunddreißigstelbewegung the first violin, which is now pronounced as continuously advancing movement.

The development begins with the main theme in C major, but swings to the already fifth clock to process the " romantic " Passage to the alternation of elements of the main theme. A crescendo with the issues head increases up to the Forte, but beats in measure 74 with the " mumbling " movement from the final group back to the piano to. It is followed by another processing section with the " romantic " Passage. Finally, the 1st Violin announces in wider terms thirty-second figure to the recapitulation.

The recapitulation at measure 92 is similar in structure to the exposure, but the winds are from the beginning when it comes to vocal leader. Exposure and development and recapitulation are repeated.

" When Adagio is again a long, heartfelt expression of Haydn, as is characteristic of this period. However, it is far more concertante as No. 54; the oboe and bassoon obbligato are consistently in the foreground, and the horns are often self-employed ( in this respect it resembles rather the Symphony No. 51 (...). Several minor passages draw on almost uncanny way to Schumann before, especially in the slow movement his Symphony No. 2 "

Third set: Menuet

C major, 3/4-time, with Trio 94 cycles

Similar to the first set, also with 72 cycles unusually detailed minuet begins as a contrast theme with a fanfare-like triad figure in the Forte, which changes according to four bars in a piano string passage, which is held in the character of a German dance here. The rest of the first part contains virtuosic scale runs upward and triplet.

The second part varies initially a character from the piano strings passage from the beginning of a sentence, then the triplets occur in unison dominant in appearance. The triplets lead to an unexpected application of the contrast theme in D minor. However, Haydn breaks in the "wrong " key after a few cycles with a general pause from to - moved into the "right" key of C major - to begin the recapitulation of the first part.

In the trio ( F major ) play the parallel run first oboe and first violin a ländler like melody, accompanied by the other strings (similar to the Symphony No. 50).

" The trio, for oboe and strings in the subdominant, is a short study in elegance; one is tempted to think that Haydn wanted to compose a "normal" version of the unconventional trio from Symphony No. 50 here. "

Fourth sentence: Prestissimo

C major, 4/4-time, 125 cycles

The Prestissimo is characterized by its almost continuously moving triplet having the character of a perpetual motion is the phrase, similar to, for example, as in the final movement of Haydn's Symphony No. 41, or even of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Symphony in C major KV 338

Similarly as in sentences 1 and 3, also the first theme of Prestissimo begins as a fanfare-like phrase tutti forte, according to the four beats a piano turn of strings follows. In the further course of the movement occurred dynamic contrasts, for example, subsequent to the first theme of the exchange of forte and piano ( from bar 11) or between two Forte blocks consistently piano held second theme at measure 25 in the sustained sun shades in oboe and Viola. The Forte - block before the second theme in addition to the continuous triplets in the 1st violin changing chords of the oboe / strings to the unstressed quarter-note beats 2 and 4 of the clock, while the trumpets used on the quarter-note beats 1 and 3. The result is a rhythmically loose, swaying effect. Accents on the gentle second quarter are also found in the following to the second theme Forte block.

In performing Haydn changes for a longer passage to a minor, the first theme is processed along with a fanfare-like marching rhythm of the wind, followed by the trio Lenke tablets in the strings dialogue. In bar 81, the continuous flow of music abruptly cut to a minor from, and a pensive figure in the first violin leads to unexpected diminished seventh chord, which resolves itself with the head of the first Topic to D minor. Similarly as in the minuet, Haydn moves then the action abruptly as recapitulation beginning in the "right" key of C major.

The recapitulation is similar in structure to the exposure, but the winds are now involved in the first issue: the oboes double the violins, the brass grab her fanfare-like marching rhythm on. Exposure and development and recapitulation are repeated.

References, notes

Web links, notes

• Recordings and information about the 56th symphony of Haydn by the project " Haydn 100 & 7 " of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt
• Joseph Haydn: Symphony no. 56 in C major. No Philharmonia. 756, Universal Edition, Vienna. Series: Howard Chandler Robbins Landon (ed.): Critical Edition of the Complete Symphonies ( pocket score )
• Symphony No. 56 by Joseph Haydn: notes and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project.