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Year 13 Revision Booklet Haydn 104
Year 13 Revision Booklet Haydn 104
Year 13 Revision Booklet Haydn 104
Haydn Biography
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was born into a musical family in Vienna. From 1761 he
worked as a musician for the wealthy Esterhàzy family, becoming Kappelmeister for
Prince Nikolaus I in 1766. This was a prestigious job, with operas, concerts and
rehearsals taking place every week, but Haydn was nevertheless essentially a servant,
wearing the same livery as other domestic staff. The family built a new palace -
Esterhàza - in the Hungarian countryside, which had extraordinary facilities for music
making but was also quite remote, leaving Haydn rather isolated both personally (he
was trapped in a loveless marriage) and professionally. His role at the court gave him
the opportunity to compose and perform a large number of works in an environment that
was open to new musical innovations.
The prince was a musical connoisseur and Haydn was kept very busy catering to his
changing enthusiasms. The prince initially learnt the baryton (like a bass viol but with
extra plucked strings) and Haydn was asked to write over 200 works for this instrument.
From the mid 1770s, however, the prince became more interested in opera and Haydn
was expected both to direct several productions a year and to write new works. At the
end of this decade Haydn was given a new contract that gave him more creative
freedom and he chose to concentrate on instrumental music, particularly chamber music
and symphonies.
Prince Nikolaus died in 1790 and his successor (Prince Anton) was far less interested in
music. Although Haydn remained nominally an employee of the court (as well as
receiving pension granted to him by Prince Nikolaus), he was free to pursue other
projects, including some extended visits to London to write and conduct new
symphonies Haydn’s concerts in London were very successful and it was for one of
these occasions that Symphony 104 (his last) was written.
Haydn’s two extended visits to London were organized by the musician and concert
producer Salomon and seeing in person the enthusiasm with which his work was received
by audiences in the city seems to have stimulated Haydn to ever increasing boldness and
innovation. The two trips were also extremely lucrative, earning him the equivalent of more
than twenty years Esterhàzy salary. The following extract from a letter gives a sense of
Haydn’s celebrity status in London: ‘My arrival caused a great sensation … I went the
rounds of all the newspapers for three successive days. Everyone wants to know me … If
I wanted I could dine out every day, but first I must consider my health and second my
work.’ Symphonies 93-98 were written during Haydn’s first visit to London and 99-104
during his second visit.
In 1795 Prince Anton died and the last part of Haydn’s career was spent back at the
Esterhàzy working part time for Prince Nikolaus II, who rebuilt the musical establishment
at the court. These years were dominated by choral works and string quartets and,
before ill health struck, Haydn enjoyed the status of an internationally renowned
composer working in Vienna.
Haydn’s music was famous all over Europe and he was a strong influence on later
composers, including Mozart (for whom he was a mentor and friend), Beethoven (who
he briefly taught), Schubert, Mendelssohn and Brahms. He is often credited as the
‘father’ of the both the symphony and the string quartet – although he invented neither of
these genres, he made a very substantial contribution to their development.
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Symphony 104 and the Classical Style
The Classical era saw the continued rise of instrumental music both chamber (for
example the sonata and string quartet) and orchestral, with the symphony taking pride of
place in this development. Symphony 104 is typical of later Classical instrumental works
in that it is written not just for a court or by aristocratic commission, but for an
enthusiastic concert-going public.
Symphony 104 is written for a full Classical orchestra with double woodwind (including
clarinets) plus two each of horns and trumpets. The full sonorities available from this
expanded ensemble makes the ‘filling in’ role of the harpsichord pretty much redundant.
Classical chamber music tends to be more intimate and private whereas symphonies are
a grander public musical statement. Nevertheless both genres are underpinned by the
aesthetic of the style galante, which replaces the grandeur and seriousness of much of
Baroque music with a lighter and more graceful touch. The grand D minor opening of the
London symphony thus quickly gives way to the light-hearted elegance of the first
subject (bar 17). The accessibility of the style, however, does not prevent this music
being highly sophisticated.
The simple periodic phrasing of this and all the other principal themes in this
symphony underpin the complexities and irregularities that Haydn later introduces. The
tendency towards balanced phrases punctuated with clear cadences is another
important hallmark of the Classical style.
The clear harmony, dominated by primary chords and cadential progressions help to
establish keys quickly (e.g. the opening of the Andante) and allow some quite complex
and rapid modulations in developmental and transition sections (e.g. the passage from
bar 98 in the Andante).
These melodic ideas are generally presented with clear, relatively simple textures
(melody dominated homophony), but Haydn does not hesitate to liven things up with
countermelodies (first subject of last movement) and occasional imitation (the beginning
of the development in the last movement).
The four-movement overall structure is standard for the Classical symphony. As the
symphony developed composers made increasing effort to mould the four movements
into a unified whole, with motivic and other links (in 104 the use of silences is one
example). Earlier Classical composers (including Haydn) tended to write relatively
lightweight last movements but Symphony 104 has a more substantial finale with
weighty musical arguments (e.g. the use of interrupted cadences as a structural device)
and this became typical of composers in the later Classical and Romantic periods.
Sonata form is the most important structure in the Classical era. Haydn makes use of it
in both first and last movements of symphony 104, but in both cases he uses the same
melodic idea for both first and second themes (a device called monothematicism). This
underlines the central importance of the tonal structure in sonata form – the opposition
of two keys (tonic and dominant) in the exposition, the modulations and contrasts in the
development and the resolution of all the tonal tension onto the tonic in the
recapitulation.
The overall style was varied and flexible with contrasts such as elegant first subject at
bar 17 in the first movements that moves straight into the noisy jubilance of the tonic
material at bar 32. Similarly the simple folky melody in the last movement (S1 & S2a)
makes a strong contrast with the lyrical and more harmonically complex S2b at b. 84.
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Brief movement overviews
I: After an imposing Adagio D minor opening, the Allegro starts with a genial first subject in D
major. It quickly becomes more energetic before the transition into the A major second
subject, which is based on the same theme (the movement is monothematic). After the
modulatory development the recapitulation is strangely hesitant, with a very unusual pause
after the dominant preparation at the end of the development and before the first subject.
Even stranger is the way the music that replaces the transition peters out into silence before
the second subject begins with a question and answer version of the first bar that feels like it
is being wound back up into action.
II: The second movement is in ternary form with elements of variation. The opening section
extends the initial 8 bar theme relatively conventionally but the middle section of the
movement starts like a minor key variation before exploding in a dramatic sturm und drang
style episode. This suddenly breaks off and there is a bar of silence (compare with the
silences in the recap of the first movement) and the music turns instead to further
development of the main material in Bb major. For the final section Haydn revisits the
opening ideas but adds various embellishments. In the first section there was a heavily
emphasized pause on chord IV and Haydn returns twice to this idea in the final section with
ever more embellishment and emphasis.
III: The Menuetto in D major uses related motivic material, ending the A section with a
distinctive whole-bar trill. The B section develops same motifs and adds a hemiola rhythmic
idea. The repeat of the A section leads to a codetta that starts extending the cadence only to
stop for two whole bars of silence after an anacrusis – the most dramatic silence so far in the
work. It is ended by an extended trill and some cadences. The Trio is in Bb major – an
unusual key relationship that necessitates a linking section at the end to take us back to the
Menuetto reprise. There is a less dramatic silence at the same structural point, and like in
the Menuetto it involves interrupting a hint at the subdominant.
IV: The Last movement is based on a folk-like melody over a drone which is developed into
monothematic sonata form like first. A countermelody present in both subjects is much more
prominent in the second subject and there is a further minim idea (S2b) that provides
contrast and is always introduced via an interrupted cadence. The development addresses
all the material and makes an unusual approach to the recapitulation via an interrupted
cadence in F# minor (before S2b is developed there is an interrupted cadence made more
prominent by a whole bar of silence).
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I: Adagio-Allegro
Introduction (bb. 1-16)
D min – F maj – D min Imposing octave unison at opening. Rising fifth and auxiliary
note ideas are important motifs for whole symphony. Ends with cadential six-four on the
dominant of D minor.
Exposition (repeated)
First subject Transition Second subject Codetta
17 50 65 99
D major Pivot modulation A major A major
to A major
compound monothematic so introduces new
period inverted x motif same material as arpeggio figure and
tonic ‘filler’ dominant pedal S1 but varied continues with
tonic pedal from b. 77 with a inversions of x
parallel tenths part circle of part circle of fifths
leading to fifths
cadences tonic and
dominant pedals
Development
Process 1 Process 2 Process 3 Process 4
124 145 155 99
B min – E min – C# C# min – E min E maj/min – G – E B min – D maj
min min – B min
alternation of more repetitions of
sequential and arpeggio figure switching y leading to
imitative from codetta and between E major dominant pedal with
treatment of y inversion of X and minor chromatic
circle of fifths sequential ascending scales
modulating treatment of y unusual pause
through G#, F# alongside quaver before recap
and E minors passages (silence)
Recapitulation
First subject Second subject Codetta / Coda
193 247 277
D major D major D major
as opening with small first eight bars bar 266 as codetta from
changes, particularly to replaced by call and exposition leading to
instrumentation response version of new coda passage based
cadential passages turn into first bar on cadential harmonies
extended circle of fifths then more or less as
new tutti idea based on y before
runs out of steam and
peters out into silence
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II: Andante
Opening Section (A) (rounded binary with each half repeated as shown)
a (repeated) : :b a’ Codetta (all repeated) :
1 9 17 33
G maj – D maj A min – D min – A G major G major
min
modulating period to D as opening but a new repeat of new
major new falling fifth sequence on x falling fifth idea
x idea based on falling idea against x in long pause on IV (C) over tonic pedal
thirds and fifths cello makes way to cadence via
sequence chromatic passage
REST
38 42 57
G min D min – Bb Bb maj – G minor
Starts as if a variation New ff D minor idea Starts again as if a variation in Bb but
in G minor but interrupts material is developed with sequences and
Modulates to Bb major still imitation as it pivots to G minor
loud and with vigorous Dominant pedal
semiquavers and Calms down and section ends with
demisemiquavers in strings arpeggiations of D major chord in
Just when arpeggiations preparation for return of A section
are getting really frenetic
the music suddenly breaks
off and there is a bar of
silence
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III: Menuetto
Allegro [Minuet]
A (+ A’ written-out B A’ (repeated BA’) Codetta
repeat)
1 17 35 43
D major D maj – B min – A D major G maj – D maj
maj – D maj (V)
rising triad idea repeat of A but begins a
(rising fifth and 10 bar with quaver sequence of last
c.f. codetta idea modulating decoration of cadence now in
from I) phrase based on melody and varied G
auxiliary note both motifs orchestration a third anacrusis
motifs distinctive is left hanging for
one-bar trill idea hemiola rhythm two bars silence
into cadence dominant pedal then …
stays in tonic with the trill idea from
Bar 9 is a chromaticisms before is
written-out over top expanded to two
repeat with diff. (Neapolitan, bars leading into
orchestration diminished 7th, a series of
minor 9th) perfect cadences
Trio
A (repeated) B A’ (repeated BA’) Link
53 65 79 95
Bb maj – F maj F min – C min – F Bb major Bb maj – D maj (V)
maj
repeated as before but now unusual key
anacrusis that more in thirds so less relationship
initially could be contrapuntal ambiguous makes a link
D minor but developing rising sequence back to minuet
turns out to be in anacrusis and and chromatic line repeat necessary
more unusual quaver idea moves into uses expansion
key of Bb simultaneously subdominant (Eb) of anacrusis idea
continuous hemiola into breaks off for to create a rising
quaver idea dominant nearly two bars of chromatic line
lighter preparation silence that changes Bb
orchestration G minor anacrusis major into Bb
leads into perfect augmented sixth
cadence in Bb which in turn
leads onto V of D
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IV: Spiritoso
Exposition (repeated)
S1 Transition S2a S2b Codetta
1 19 54 84 102
D major D maj – hints A major A major A major
of G and E min
tonic pedal same as S1 forms begins with
on way to A (V)
(drone) but counter- interrupted tonic pedal
throughout – uses x, quaver melody is cadence from and
reminiscent of movement and much more end of S2a development
folk music some dev. of prominent VI has #3 to of S1 in
counter- S1 filled-in fifths tonicise B diminution
melody and finishes on developed into minor as part ascending
harmonies on dominant contrary of circle of motif and x
repeat preparation of motion fifths developed into
distinctive A with quavers (ends Minim repeated 2-bar
stamping auxiliary note with brief movement and codetta idea
figure (x) idea (z) silence) imitation – v. (w)
diff. feel
Development
Dev. of main material Dev. of transition Development of S2b
118 155 167
A major – E minor – B B minor B minor – F# minor
minor
use of z from form interrupted cadence that
begins with a quasi transition for tonicises C# before cadencing in B
imitative idea working dominant minor again
up through the strings preparation – development of imitative minim
development of filled in ends with a bar texture from S2b
fifths from 129 of silence D augmented sixth leads to dominant
diminished sevenths in preparation of F# minor
149 and 151 another interrupted cadence onto VI
(D) is used (outrageously) to get back
to the tonic for the recap.
Recapitulation
S1 Transition S2a S2b Coda
193 203 221 247 265
D major D major D major D major D major
as opening but as before but as before but as before with starts similar
misses out slight change variation of brief to before with
first at 210 extends counter- tonicisation of but then
appearance of quavers to melody and B before further dev. of
them without arrive on orchestration returning to D S1
counter- dominant new material finishes with
melody pedal – no w leads to return rising fifth idea
of w from from
transition countermelody
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Haydn 104 Topic Notes
A) Development of overall form
Follows the traditional pattern of four movements with a slow second, a minuet third
movement and finishing off with a lively finale.
The second movement is conventional in that it is Andante and in the subdominant.
However the form is more unusual, with elements of variation within an overall
ternary form. The third movement is a traditional minuet and trio. but with an unusual
key relationship between the two sections (D major / Bb major) and a linking section
from the end of the trio to the reprise of the minuet (see notes on inner movements)
It is worth noting that although the last movement begins with a simple folk melody,
the music is actually complex and sophisticated (see notes on finale below).
Haydn creates motivic links between the movements, most obviously between the
main melodies of the first and second movements but there are also more subtle
connections.
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D) Development of minuet/third movements
The third movement is a traditional minuet rather than a Scherzo but it is marked
Allegro and the off-beat accents in the opening phrase plus the hemiola in the B
section (bars 20-22) give it an energetic and robust feel
The lack of modulation in the first half of the Menuet (still in the tonic of D major in
bar 16) is balanced by a Scherzo that moves to the rather unusual key of Bb. Haydn
plays with our expectations by beginning this section (bar 53) with a melodic idea that
could equally be in D minor.
Also playful is the end of the Menuet, in which Haydn seems to begin a modulation to
the subdominant in bar 43 only to grind to a surprising halt that leaves the upbeat at
the end of bar 44 hanging in mid-air for two whole bars of rest. This is resolved by an
extended version of the trill figure from bar 7 that leads into a perfect cadence. The
same trick is repeated more subtly in the trio, which also hints at the subdominant in
bar 86 only to peter out into silence before cadencing.
The unusual key of Bb for the trio necessitates the composition of a special link in bar
95 to modulate back to the D major of the Menuet. A rising chromatic line leads to a
Bb augmented sixth chord in bar 99 that resolves to the dominant of D.
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G) Development of harmony and tonality
Although the basic tonic/dominant structural relationships and use of closely related
keys are strongly present there are some pretty unusual features in this piece as
well.
The tonal relationship between the Menuet in D major to the trio in Bb major (bar 53)
is unexpected, and makes necessary a short linking passage back to the reprise
(from bar 95) that uses a Bb augmented sixth chord (bar 99) to lead to the A
dominant that prepares the return of D
There is a rapid shift to the very distant key of F# major in bars 116-17 in the G major
second movement. Haydn achieves this modulation through a series of pivot note
modulations and enharmonic shifts such as the Db major in bar 113 to C# minor in
bar 114.
The last movement sees a very interesting and unusual approach for the return of D
major in bar 193 (the recapitulation). An interrupted cadence in F# minor (bars 192-3)
replaces the expected dominant preparation.
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J) Development of texture
As is typical of the mature Classical period, the main texture is melody-dominated
homophony. The opening of the second movement is a nice clear example, but even
here it is more sophisticated than it initially seems. In bar 9 the B section material in
the first violins is accompanied by snippets of the A section material, first in the cellos
then in the violas.
Haydn constantly varies the types of textures and timbres, for example in the last
movement where a very delicate and minimal string texture at 65 gets a change of
colour in bar 69 with the addition of bassoon doubling the melody as well as basses
and cellos before giving way to an energetic tutti texture with contrary motion quavers
at bar 73.
Counterpoint is vital in Haydn’s works from the simple alternations between
woodwind and lower string in in bars 115-20 to the more complex imitative texture at
the end of the development in the last movement starting at bar 167.
One of the ways Haydn varies the texture in repetitions of the main A section idea of
the Menuet is to present the theme in a heterophonic texture. The best example
starts in bar 35 where the oboes and clarinets play a simplified version of the opening
idea at the same time as a decorated version in the strings.
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