1780 – The Music part 1 - Music Appreciation then and now

Hob I	Key	NC	HRL	Name	Instruments
62	D	75	75		Flute, 2 Oboes, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, & Strings
74	Eb	76	76		Flute, 2 Oboes, Bassoon, 2 Horns, & Strings

 

Vienna in 1780

What was the audience for Haydn's symphonies in 1780? Of course, we all know about the Prince, but by now, Haydn's fame has extended far beyond Eszterháza; his symphonies are being played as far afield as the Concert Spirituel in Paris and all the major venues of London, at the very least. And what of Vienna? Is there any stirring on the home front?

As always, Vienna is not particularly kind to its own. Perhaps it takes them for granted, who can say? Certainly, Haydn was recognized as a fine composer, but of course, he is a little strange, being a foreigner and all. It seems somehow disorienting to read, in an article about the Concerts Spirituel in Paris; "… Joseph Haydn, whose symphonies were on nearly every program…" while for Vienna, one has to go to an English traveler who surveys the cities of Europe for the purpose of informing London. Charles Burney, in his The Present State of Music in Germany &c. was among the earliest to recognize the genius of Haydn and present it to the world. His interesting accounts of hearing Haydn's symphonies being played as entr'actes during performances at Vienna's Burgtheater are some of the earliest mentions of Haydn outside of the Esterházy archives. Although it should be noted that these weren't presented in the form of 'a new sinfonia by Joseph Haydn', rather, they were merely used as space/time fillers, for which he had to make laborious inquiry as to their provenance. Ah, Vienna!

Here, then are the two new symphonies of 1780. I would add the Overture to La Fedeltà Premiata to the list, but we will be discussing it next time in context. Haydn and Artaria did release it as a separate work though, and it is Hob 1a:17.

Hob. I:62 D major

I	Allegro	D major
II	Allegretto	D major
III	Menuetto: Allegretto – Trio	D major - d minor
IV	Finale: Allegro	D major

Instrumentation     Flute, 2 Oboes, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns in D & Strings

It has been a long time since Haydn wrote a symphony where all the movements are in the same key. The last one I can remember was #34 way back in 1763, a Sinfonia da Chiesa which was, maybe not coincidentally in the same key of D, although it began in d minor and ended in D major. It is safe to assume this was not done unintentionally though, there is a calculated artistic reason for it. What, you think I know what it is? Sorry…

It has not been a long time, however, since he used the Overture in D (Hob 1a:7) as a part of a symphony, and so, here it is again for your listening pleasure! Not identically, of course, but re-orchestrated with the wind parts expanded, and with a part now for a flute, which he didn't have available before. I don't know, but I am nearly sure this will be the last time we have a use for this movement, I hope he doesn't make me eat those words in a year or two!

The second movement, though, is something we haven't heard an example of before, despite it being one of the most popular musical forms in Europe at the time: the Italian Barcarolle, the song of the Venetian gondolier. What would Haydn do with it, though? Naturally, he turns the tables a bit on our (and the Prince's) expectations and takes the most prominent characteristic of the song, the rich melody, and seems, somehow, to forget it! Instead, he weaves accompaniment together in a sort of ethereal web which is quite uncharacteristic. I have read about Mozart's piano concertos that he had a few sorts of characteristic central movements, one of which is called a 'dream-like' sort of movement. A great example is the C major concerto #21, the so-called 'Elvira Madigan' movement. I think in some ways this Allegretto fits that style, although clearly in a Haydnish mode rather than Mozartian! To continue his joke, every time he gets to a place where he can and does try to start a melodic phrase, it immediately gets drowned out and washed away by the orchestra! However, while this little joke is going on, the orchestral interlude is gradually accreting instruments, some playing in invertible counterpoint, and the net result is a movement of great sophistication which defies the expectations of the listeners. It is without doubt the focal point of the piece. He follows this up with a minuet which has a problem: no downbeat to be found! As we saw earlier when talking about Symphony #68, which also uses this device, it would later be used again, and most famously in Symphony #92, the Oxford Symphony. Clearly Haydn kept a little stash of things he discovered and liked, and used them over from time to time. It makes this minuet stand out, despite its demureness.

The Finale: Allegro, seems to reflect the last five or six years of working with Italian operas. Despite using parts which have become Italian clichés, such as 'Lombard rhythms' which he gives his own touch to, constantly moving the downbeat around so the length of the measure becomes uncertain. As always, he manages to present us with a superb ending to an interesting work which manages to use the 1775 overture yet again without in any way incommoding the listener.

Hob I:74    Eb major

I	Vivace assai	Eb	4/4
II	Adagio cantabile	Bb	2/4
III	Menuetto e Trio: Allegretto	Eb	3/4
IV	Finale: Allegro assai	Eb	6/8

Instrumentation     Flute, 2 Oboes, 1 or 2 Bassoons, 2 horns (in Eb & Bb alto), strings

From the three solid hammerstrokes at the beginning to the quiet response, one might believe that Symphony #74 will be another Italian opera-influenced work like the finale of its mate, #62. But in the event, it isn't so. What it really is, it would seem, is another tour de force example of Haydn taking next to nothing and making it into a cogent essay in a way no other composer of the time could match. With the Eb horns leading much of the way, it reminds one of earlier times, but made better now by the addition of the bassoons (1 or 2? I see it both ways!) which greatly enrich the tone color in the range just above the basso. While this is a movement you can hum, it isn't really highly melodic, but it alternates texture between rich and lean, mainly strings or mainly winds.

If the second movement of Symphony 62 employed a Barcarolle sans melody, then #74 goes to the other extreme, being more like a serenade with melody to spare! We know serenade is a mixed sort of a word, Sometimes it is like the Salzburg/Viennese orchestral works of Mozart, but other times it is the guy playing guitar and singing under the balcony of his would-be sweetheart. This one is both of those, starting as a duet with the muted violin being the 'singer' and the cello being his guitar. Suddenly though, the horns in Bb alto take over and lead an orchestral version. Then back to the 'singer', then back to the orchestra. It is a picture of contemporary life which cannot have failed to charm listeners then or now.

The trio is the high point of the minuet, being an extended duet between the first violin and the first bassoon. At different points one or the other voice takes over and lends its tone color more prominently. I like this little trio, it offers something unusual to listen to, as Haydn's menuets each seem to uniquely do. The finale is in gigue time (6/8) and offers a long procession of musical jokes, no doubt hilarious to the Kenner amongst the listeners, but a bit too arcane for the average Liebhaber. Still, it is a very nicely put together movement which offers a different approach at the finish instead of the more common mad dash Presto.

So there is some of what our oblivious Viennese were being presented in 1780. I hope to say I enjoy it far more than they apparently did. Next time we will look at the big opera for the year, and maybe get to slay a dragon along the way.

Thanks for reading!