1764 – The Music part 4 – Doesn’t have to be a symphony

Hob. #	Genre	Key	Instruments
14:01	Divertimento	Eb	Cembalo , 2 Horns, Violin & Baßo
14:04	Divertimento	C	Cembalo, 2 Violins & Baßo (Cello or Violone)
16:Eb2	Sonata #17	Eb	Keyboard
16:Eb3	Sonata #18	Eb	Keyboard
17:deest/9:03	12 Minuets w/ Trios		Keyboard reductions
24a:03	Italian Cantata	C	Al Tuo arrivo felice 2 Sopranos, Alto, 2 Tenors, Bass, Chorus, Flute, 2 Oboes, Bassoon, 2 Horns, Harpsichord & Strings
24a:04	Italian Cantata	A	Qual dubbio ormai Soprano, Chorus, 2 Oboes, 2 Horns, Solo Harpsichord & Strings

As I continue down this road, using Hoboken as my guide, it occurs to me that this methodology, beginning always with symphonies, finally arriving at vocal works, and with many 'smaller' genres in between, tends to place far more significance on the symphonies (and the string quartets in third position) than Haydn himself may have done. Which reflects well our situation here in the early 21st century, when many music enthusiasts feel as though the compositional output of a composer consists in two parts; symphonies and 'everything else'. Haydn would have been totally baffled by this, since in his own time any sort of instrumental music was merely a bagatelle or diversion. Which goes a long way, in my opinion, towards resolving the minor mystery of why he called so very many of his instrumental works, across many genres, divertimenti. He viewed them as diversions or amusements. And the corollary oddity involving his brief autobiographical sketch of 1776 for a sort of Austrian Who's Who called Das gelehrte Oesterreich. This took the form of a rather long letter addressed to a Mrs. Leonore Lechner who had been enlisted to solicit him for it. We will, of course, discuss it in due time. But the point to note here is when he briefly lists the compositions he has to his credit at the time, every one of them is a vocal/choral work; his operas, oratorios and sacred works. This is no accident, it shows him, like everyone else at the time, viewing his instrumental works as insignificant trifles.

Why hit on this topic? Well, it is sometimes necessary to voice a short protest of the status quo, in this case over the undue emphasis placed on symphonies in his oeuvre, to the near total disregard of some amazingly great music which is left to languish. Is it possible then to hope the Italian Cantata will supplant the symphony in the public's esteem? OK, that is probably a bit over the top crazy! Nonetheless, there are two very fine examples in this year. Qual dubbio ormai (With Humility, My Friend) is one of these. It serves a twofold purpose as a cantata; it is the second consecutive Name Day honorific that Haydn composed, following last year's Destatevi, o miei fidi. It's second purpose, and perhaps the one responsible for the odd title choice, is to honor Nicholas for being named Captain of the Hungarian Guard, a key position within the Habsburg court structure. The virtuoso role for the soprano here, coupled with an equally (and surprisingly) difficult one for Haydn on the harpsichord, gives ample opportunity for the musicians to show their talents. Robbins-Landon has speculated that hearing Haydn play in this work is the spark that kindled Nicholas' sudden desire to hear more solo keyboard works.

On the topic of divertimentos, we see two works in this year, one certainly from 1764, the second placed there by me. There is a dated autograph for the 'piano quartet' Hob 14:04. Whatever the stimulus was for Haydn to compose this cheery work is unknown, but I, for one, am pleased that he finally came back to the genre which served him well in the Morzin years. We still haven't resolved the 'Baßo' question, and I still lean towards the violone, but whichever way it is played, it is pleasant entertainment. The second work in this group, 14:01, is also the only one which is orchestrated differently. It was certainly not unusual in 18th century Austria to see chamber music works include two horns. The most common configuration seems to have been what we would today call a string quartet plus two horns. At a future time you would see Mozart exploiting this combination, most famously in his A Musical Joke. Unlike the balance of the group, this work is a quintet. I have yet to run across another work by any composer with this particular combination of instruments, and also with the added feature of the cembalo being a featured instrument rather than merely a continuo. I would venture to say that Haydn invented a genre, but it is scarcely a laurel for him, since it appears to be monotypic. The dates given for its composition traditionally range from 1761 to 1765, and I have chosen this year rather arbitrarily because it plays well with its mate 14:04. You will see both of these works described as 'minor', that dreaded consignment to non-symphonic hell, but I not only enjoy listening to them, but find that they present an interesting snapshot of the wealthy family at home, just them and the band on a winter evening….

Finally, we wrap up the year with some solo keyboard works. Instantly, with those words, we hit the famous 'Wall of Controversy'. OK, that may be a little bit hyperbolic, I admit, but our two sonatas in E flat from this year have been bouncing around since the early 1960's, accepted, rejected, accepted, rejected etc.; and by the same authorities! Right now, they are in the 'accepted' phase, so let us enjoy them while we can since we all know it is the stamp of approval from the Powers That Be which makes works so much more enjoyable. In any case, it isn't not as though we are speaking of the first coming of the Waldstein Sonata here. These are two, nice, galant keyboard sonatas, nothing more. Well-constructed, melodic pleasing entertainment. Perfect representatives of what a keyboard sonata was supposed to be in 1764. Enjoy them for what they are, whether they are Haydnish enough for you can be determined at the time. The final work of the year is really 12 works, a standard set of Minuets & Trios, Hob 09:03. As with so much dance music from the entire century, even up through Beethoven, the original orchestrated parts, no matter how pleasing, disappeared shortly after their original premiere. The fortunate corollary to all of this is the habit of the Viennese to make a 'piano reduction' of the dances to allow them to be played at home in perpetuity. There are many minuets by Haydn of which we wouldn't even know the existence without these invaluable monuments to musica domestica. Once again, our man Hoboken has let us down in his numbering system. Solo piano works (other than sonatas) are supposed to be classified as Hob 17:xxx, but Hoboken allowed these to remain in Hob 09. I am just being nitpicky to point out this failing, but it has become one of my minor crusades to slap Hoboken around when needed, since he has apparently made some effort to irritate me. In any case, enjoy the music, it deserves your attention!

Next time, a look at 1765, a busy year, the last for Vice Kapellmeister Haydn!

Thanks for reading!