Haydn Symphony No. 87 in A Major

Symphony No. 87 in A Major

Franz Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

The three great figures of the Classical Age, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, although often referred to as “Viennese” composers, were all born elsewhere, later making their careers in the capital of the Habsburg Empire. Although Josef Haydn came to Vienna as a child, remaining there until his late twenties, the great bulk of his creative work actually took place far from Vienna, as court composer to the powerful Esterhazy princes in their splendid palace in the Hungarian hinterland. Unlike Mozart, Haydn would never travel until late in life, living a hectic existence as composer, conductor and over-all impresario for the Esterhazy family, with annual visits to Vienna when the princes of the realm were expected to be in attendance at the imperial court. As we know from a remarkably perceptive observation made by Haydn himself, by living in fairly isolated circumstances, the composer was forced to become original. As for gaining a wider audience, despite a stipulation in his contract that his works were to remain the property of the prince, Haydn’s music began to appear abroad, often in pirated, inaccurate copies. Soon the composer was given permission to accept commissions, and began to write works for audiences as far away as Spain and France. Paris was perhaps the most glittering musical center after Vienna, and not surprisingly it was there that Haydn’s reputation began to flourish. In 1784 came an invitation from Paris to compose a set of symphonies for an organisation in Paris, the so-called “Concert de la Loge Olympique.” This was a rather curious group of high-born music lovers (and Freemasons), who sponsored public concerts performed by a large orchestra, all members being masons, appearing before the public dressed in elegant sky-blue dress coats with lace ruffles, sporting swords! The Masonic connection may have appealed to Haydn, who himself (like Mozart) had recently become a member of the Freemasons during a period of toleration which was encouraged by the Austria Emperor Josef II, who also was a member. After a period in which his activities had been concentrated upon operatic composition, Haydn was beginning to give more attention to chamber music and orchestral music, so the time was ripe for a rich harvest of strikingly imaginative symphonies. He was in his early fifties, and ready to move into the final phase of his career, which would culminate in the great works written for London. The six “Paris Symphonies” (Nos. 82-87), although less familiar to modern audiences, are in no way inferior to the twelve “London” symphonies which followed a few years later. Three of them bear nicknames, the “Bear” (No. 82), the “Hen” (No. 83) and “The Queen” (No. 85, said to be a favourite of Austrian-born Marie Antoinette.) (One wonders whether it would be a good idea to set up a commission to give nicknames to many of the other Haydn symphonies, and thus bring about more frequent performances! )

Scored for an orchestra of one flute, pairs of oboes, horns, bassoons and strings, Symphony No. 87 dispenses with the sort of stately slow introduction often featured in Haydn’s work, jumping into action with a springy principal subject heard against a bounding rhythmic accompaniment. There is little in the way of a fully-defined secondary subject, instead a subdued transition leads to music which rounds out the exposition, quite as energetic and high-spirited as the opening. The development makes much use of the repeated-note figure (or “drum bass”) which was often a device for musical padding in hands of lesser composers, but here used to lead the music into wonderful contrasts of texture and harmony, before prancing home in a recapitulation which brings back the opening material very much as before.

The Adagio is one of those hymn-like slow movements which Haydn made very much his own. Moving through a lyrical passage with solo oboe against a pattering background of sextuplets in the strings, a second subject appears, which is actually a variant of the first, with the sextuplets remaining in accompaniment. The main theme continues to be unfolded in a brief development given over mostly to the strings, taking on increasing harmonic poignancy and contrasts of texture before recapitulating, the main theme in the oboe this time, decorated by the flute. The sextuplets remain a constant presence, Haydn giving ever more attention to the winds, who wind up the movement in a nearly cadenza-like dialogue between flute and oboe, the bassoon coming in for a final comment before the movement glides to a close.

Unlike many of the “outdoorsy” minuets to be found in Haydn (reflecting his rural origins), this minuet is strictly an in-door affair, with an engaging formal character, given a piquant touch with the snapping “acciaccatura” figure which begins the main melody. The trio is a gracious, contrasting section, featuring a rather demure oboe solo heard again a spare string background

The finale, Vivace, is both lively and rather relaxed, with a cheerful main theme used for both the first and second subjects. The development takes an unexpectedly serious turn, becoming quite intense in mood, with an elaborate contrapuntal texture. The recapitulation begins to suggest that the basic character of this music, and its unflagging rhythmic vitality might seem to form a link with the spirit of the first movement, thus bringing everything around full circle.

NCO concert