Brief synopsis' of the most popular
classical music
compositions by
Franz Joseph Haydn...
Austrian, Rohrau, c. 31 MAR 1732 ~ Vienna, 31 MAY 1809
Vast output of 108 Symphonies, 4 Violin Concertos, 2 Cello
Concertos, other Orchestral Works Masses, Oratorios and String
Quartets
Haydn Cello Concerto in C, Op ?
The manuscript for this concerto was discovered at the Prague National
Library in 1961, the work is dated 1765.
Haydn Cello Concerto in D, Op 101
Composed around 1783 and a staple in the cello repertory. It was also
arranged for flute in the early 19th century.
Haydn Harpsichord Concerto in G
Probably written for his own keyboard performances with orchestra. It
dates from 1775.
Haydn Piano Concerto in G
He composed 104 Symphonies and 83 Quartets. He also had time for the
concerto form. This work was conceived for harpsichord or fortepiano. Not
as well known as the D major concerto.
Haydn String Quartet in G, Op 54
Haydn's SQ's Ops 54, 55, & 56 were all scored around 1790. They are known
as the 'Tost Quartets' and dedicated to Johann Tost a merchant and
orchestra violinist in Esterhazy.
Haydn Trumpet Concerto in Eb
The Austrian born composer was the son of a wheelwright-farmer. He showed
his musical talents at five years and went to Vienna as a choir boy at 8
years. He was employed at the Eisenstadt by Prince Esterhazy for 30 years.
This trumpet concerto was composed in 1796 and is one of his most popular
concertos. Compared with violin and piano there are very few concertos for
trumpet. This one was written for Viennese performer Anton Weidinger who
was a premier keyed trumpet player. Todays instrumet with valves replaced
the keyed instrument. A contemporary, Johann Hummel, also wrote a
popular concerto for trumpet.
Haydn 'Sinfonia concertante in
Bflat'
Haydn Sym No 6 Le Matin
Composed in 1761 for Prince Paul Anton a patron with a fondness for Italy.
Haydn Sym No 22 in E falt, The Philosopher
Haydn Sym No 26 in D minor, Lamentatione
Haydn
Sym No
31 in Dmajor, Horn Signal aka On The Lookout
Haydn Sym No 43 in Eb - Mercury
Haydn wrote most of his music working for the Hungarian Esterhazy family.
The symphonies came from the early 1770's. The 43rd, had a nickname added in
the 19th century. "Mercury" is what it is known as and was premiered by the
Esterhazy Orchestra who enjoyed performing the larger Haydn Symphonies. This
one is of chamber proportions.
Haydn Sym No
44 Mourning
Haydn Sym No
45 in f# minor Farewell
Composed in 1772 during a visit to Esterhazy with his musicians. You'll
hear the music trail off to nothing as the conclusion comes, as the
musicians were to leave the stage as their parts concluded. This,
apparently because the prince wanted Haydn's musicians to stay at
Esterhazy for a few more weeks. But the musicians wanted to return to
their families. The symphony was conceived to emphasize to the prince the
musicians desire not to remain any longer.The prince got the message and
relented and they went home.
Haydn Sym No 48 in C, Maria Theresia
Haydn Sym No 60 Il Distratto
Originally scored for incidental music to a drama called 'The Absent
Minded Gentleman' composed in 1774. That was the fellow who had to tie a
knot in a handkerchief...and the orchestra that has to tune thier
instruments in mid-performance.
Haydn Sym No 82 The Bear Composed in 1786 First of the
symphonies written for a Paris
concert series.
This was one of Haydn's grandest 'Paris' symphonies and had the benifit of
a large orchestra on it's FP. The name ' The Bear' refers to 18th century
strolling players who performed on bagpipes so that a tame bear might
dance.
Haydn Sym No
83 The Hen
Haydn Sym No
84
Haydn Sym No
85 La Reine aka The
Queen
One of the six Paris Symphonies all written for exhibition in 1787. This
one acquired the title 'The Rhine' and was a favorite of Queen Marie
Antoinette.
Haydn Sym
No 86
From the 'Paris' Symphonies, the 86th in D was composed around 1785. It is
from a series of six works commissioned by a fashionable Parisian
Orchestral Society. The work was FP around 1787 with great appreciation
. Later editions were published in London, Vienna, Berlin and
Amsterdam.
Haydn Sym No
87
Haydn Sym No
88
Haydn Sym No
92 Oxford
Haydn Sym No
93
Haydn Sym
No 94 Surprise
He wrote more than a thousand works including 104 Symphonies. The
'Surprise' Sym has always been one of Haydn's most popular compositions.
It
received it's nickname from the 2nd mmt. In Haydn's time concerts were
often very long and listeners often fell asleep. As a musical joke, Haydn
wrote a very loud and unexpected surprise chord right at the end of a very
soft passage so it would awaken nodding concert-goers.
Haydn Sym No
95
Haydn Miracle
One of the first works upon his arrival in London in 1794 was this 94th
Sym. Entitled 'Miracle' it's one of the 12 London Symphonies. It was named
'Miracle' when a chandelier fell into the center of the auditorium. The
audience was crowded in the front of the hall, and miraculously no one was
injured.
Haydn Sym No
97
Haydn Sym No
98
Haydn Sym No
99
Haydn Sym No
100 Military
One of the London series of symphonies by Haydn. This 'Military' symphony
gets it's name from the increase of trumpets and drums in the first and
second movements. The work was FP on the composer's 62nd birthday, March
31, 1794. The work was popular throughout Europe and within a decade was
published by no less than eight publishers.
Haydn Sym No
101 in D The Clock
One of the most popular of the late symphonies of Haydn. The Sym No. 101
was composed in 1794. Called "The Clock" because of the tick-tocking
lyricism of the second movement
Haydn Sym No
102
Haydn Sym No
103 Drumroll
Haydn
Symphony No 104
Composed in 1795 it was FP May 4th of that year at a concert under his
direction. This was the 12th sym he composed in London, thus the title,
'The London Sym'...and it was his final symphony.
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