Symphony No. 64 (Haydn)

The Symphony in A major Hoboken directory I: 64 Joseph Haydn composed probably in 1773, during his tenure as Kapellmeister to Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. The plant is sometimes referred to by the nickname "Tempo mutantur ".

General

The Symphony No. 64 Haydn composed probably in 1773, during his tenure as Kapellmeister to Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. In the 1960s, a native of Haydn's radius votes copy was discovered, " in A. / tempora mutantur etc. Sinfonia " wearing on the cover of the label. The Latin words are the beginning of an epigram of Shakespeare's contemporaries John Owen, who was known primarily as a writer of Latin, mostly pessimist sure epigrams.

" Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. Quomodo? Fit tempore semper peior homo. ( Times change, and we change in them. Why? Man is bad, how times worse. ) "

Apparently the envelope with the caption originally belonged to a different set of parts, it is therefore not certain whether the labeling on the Symphony No. 64 bezieht.Der eccentric character of Largo has led to the suggestion that it was a piece of allegedly Haydn composed incidental music for Hamlet Sheakespeares, the drama troupe of the Carl true in the season 1773/1774 aufführte in Bratislava. The background of the central Largo is therefore Hamlet's saying " The time is out of joint. O cursed spite / that ever I was born to set it right " to be, which is also a relationship with the caption " tempora mutantur "Establish let by the Largo, a study on " time is out of joint " on a musical level. Performances of Hamlet, however, are not attested for Esterháza for 1773 and 1774, and it is unclear whether Haydn has really written a Hamlet musical. Also uncertain are attempts to underpin the text with the opening theme of the fourth movement.

About the Music

Instrumentation: two oboes, two horns, bassoon, two violins, viola, cello, double bass. On the participation of the harpsichord exist in the literature different opinions.

Performance time: approximately 20 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 transferred from there to restrictions on the Symphony No. 64. - 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 con spirito

A major, 4/4-time ( alla breve ), 151 cycles

The first theme is designed as a contrast issue from a sanglich lyrical piano figure in the strings with dotted rhythms and a sequence of four forte chords, the whole orchestra ( similar beginning, for example, in the Symphony No. # 75, dynamic inversely with Forte initial motif, for example, at the Symphony No. 44). The figure of viola and bass in measure 3 and 4 with tone repetition and sixteenth - two punch ( " double whammy motif" ) is a major influence on the further course of the movement, partly as a variant ( sixteenth-note figure without double strike or triplets). Already in the subsequent passage of the topic it is dominant, first in the upper voices, and later in the lower voices. The passage is further characterized initially by its harmonic changes, the dynamic and rhythmic contrasts ( syncope ). Between the processing of the double whammy motif occurs another motif with scale running on, initially down (from bar 25 ) then - interrupted by the tremolo of the violins - up ( bar 35 ). The Rhyhthmus the violin figure in bar 36 is reminiscent of the head from the first theme. The passage concludes with in half notes chromatically ascending cadence in the dominant E major. The double whammy motif triplets variant then leads to the second theme ( from bar 49, E major ), where the voting leading first violin and the viola piano play a romantic - chromatic melody, with its major and minor - of shades to the music Franz Schubert recalls. Final section from bar 58 repeats the cadence with the ascending line in half notes, and ends the exposure with the double whammy motif.

At the beginning of the implementation of the head from the first issue with the double whammy subject is confronted, from bar 77 engages the Haydn triplet variant of the double whammy motif, which opens into a tremolo sound surface with energetic octave jump - bass figure. The music flow slows down after a few bars and comes in pianissimo to a halt. The first theme is then in the subdominant in D major, followed by further processing of the double whammy motif alternating between upper and lower voices, the octave leap figures and other changes of harmony (cycle 98 double strike motif in Tonikaparallelen F sharp minor ).

The recapitulation at measure 101 is similar in structure to the exposure, but the above occur in the shortened first issue forth a soloist, as well as the beginning of the passage is shortened after the first issue with the exposure. Development and recapitulation are repeated as well as the exposure.

Second movement: Largo

D major, 2/4-cycle, 107 cycles

The Largo is composed in free form. Until about the middle of the sentence held for strings is ( violins with mutes ), then also the brass part. A theme is repeated four times with slight changes in the tonic D major, turned on two " interludes " with strong dynamic and harmonious contrasts. The " hymn " theme begins with his characteristic ascending triad. The dynamic contrasts ( pianissimo to forte ) and interrupted by pauses melody flow are also characteristic for the further course of the movement. The breaks occur here also in a location that " where the harmonious transition can expect such a break in any way. "

" Even otherwise affects the rate by repeatedly entering hesitations and pauses as if torn, as by the sudden fortissimo outbursts ( T. 59, 76, 79), in sharp contrast to all redeemed pianissimo places: a wealth of dynamic contrasts, as has to have no other slow movement. "

• Initially, a detailed issue is presented by the strings ( bars 1 to 16), the subject will connect fully repeated (cycle 17 to 32). It's held up to a few spots pianissimo to piano.
• The Interlude 1 ( measure 33 to 67) consists of two halves: the first half was held to within a few accents piano to pianissimo, their final twist from bar 43 corresponds to the final turn from the topic. The second half from bar 47 first reiterates the beginning of the first, then increases but with the oboes use from bar 57 to fortissimo after G Minor, where the dynamics is abruptly withdrawn into the piano with use of the horn again.
• An expansive and chromatic gesture of the first violin leads to the third appearance of the main theme in D major in measure 68, now with brass participation. After seven bars but down the theme and goes abruptly in
• The interlude 2 (cycle 76 to 90 ) without the music flow -interrupting breaks. His first half contains extensive dynamic contrasts. The three times occurring sweeping gestures of the 1st violin reminiscent of the transition to the third appearance of the subject.
• The fourth appearance themes ( from bar 91, again with horns ) remains as the third incomplete. His turn of bars 4 and 5 is repeated, and then goes to two contrasting forte chords, in a decay of the theorem on pianissimo with major-minor shades. In this case, only the oboes of the violins take the first horn, then the voice leading, while the 2nd horn and bass accompanied in very low register with sun shades.

"In his wide melodic breath, in the fineness of the harmonic and dynamic shades Largo this already makes the slow movements of the Paris and London symphonies guessed; it also demonstrates in an exemplary manner Haydn's art to achieve by pauses voltage ( ... ) .. "

"With this extraordinary symphonic movement could write an entire article. I mention here only the inability to complete musical phrases correctly, and its discontinuity in terms of materials, dynamics and register, the refusal to achieve a clearly understandable form and especially his deliberately strange and almost incoherent closing. "

" What remains a (...) excessive play with often contrasting in itself motivic gestures (closed melodies and themes are missing altogether ), metric shifts and deferred cadences (...). The three -part form is difficult to see, especially since the " Reprise" is distorted by terrifying fortissimo outbursts; the conclusion is, haltingly and metric completely derailed, the dissolution of all motivic contour. It is clear that this is an extremely rhetorical sentence - but what he is talking about is not to verbalize. It is a drama of the motifs, a musical drama in musical terms. "

Third movement: Allegretto

A major, 3/4-time, with Trio 48 bars

The minuet is characterized by its Lombard rhythm, the large interval leaps and trills figures, only in the middle part dominated uniform, stepped quaver movement. The beginnings of the first and second Menuetteil are kept only for strings. As a final twist of the Minuet Haydn repeats the opening bars - but now with changed dynamics: piano and forte chord with closing strokes.

In the trio ( also in A major ) change the solo top with the horns in a dialogue with the strings from. Another unusual feature is the unexpected and abrupt onset, veiled transition from minor middle part to the return of the opening theme.

Fourth sentence: Presto

A major, 4/4-time ( alla breve ), 198 cycles

Also, the Presto has (similar to the Largo ) an unusual structure. The set consists of three themes that alternate with one another unexpected and abrupt. The beginning of a sentence is reminiscent of a rondo theme, where initially a two-part ritornello is presented. Both parts are constructed periodically: the first, singable part ( "Topic A") consists of two Sechstaktern, it is held only for strings in the piano. The second part ( " Thread B") for the entire orchestra with characteristic pendulous quaver movement consists of two four-strokes. Is common to both parts, that every phrase ends with a " strange, unaccompanied lookup " the first violin.

From bar 21 Thread B will be continued in the dominant E major. But the action suddenly stops as a general pause, followed by Topic A in E major, on the equally abruptly followed by a new, " dramatic " Forte theme from like a rocket ascending minor chords in Forte ( " Topic C "). Thereafter, subject A and B in A Major to be repeated. In bar 79 is in turn followed by an abrupt change in F sharp minor to a longer passage with theme C fortissimo. In bar 113, the tonic A major is again achieved with theme A, which is repeated as a variant in A Minor, then to show approaches of polyphony.

After the repetition of subject A and B (both in A major ) Haydn to the end of a sentence provided a coda that comes after first starting to falter, can fade away the head of Theme A in pianissimo and then completes the sentence as fortissimo flourish.

References, notes

Web links, notes

• Recordings and information for the 64th Symphony by Haydn Project " Haydn 100 & 7 " of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt
• Joseph Haydn: Symphony no. 64 A major. No Philharmonia. 762, Universal Edition, Vienna 1965 series. Howard Chandler Robbins Landon (ed.): Critical Edition of the Complete Symphonies ( pocket score )
• Symphony No. 64 by Joseph Haydn: notes and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project.