WORK IN FOCUS:

Symphony No 92 in G (The Oxford) by Franz Joseph Haydn



The new Edexcel A Level course features Haydn’s Symphony no. 26 (First movement) which is mentioned in the programme. These notes might be useful for background study on elements of the Classical Symphony.

GENRE: Classical Symphony in four movements.


Oxford University

BACKGROUND: Haydn was dubbed Papa Haydn (Father of the Symphony) – a name he lived up to as a prolific writer of some 104 works in this genre.
Many of these symphonies have nicknames, such as The Drum Roll, The Clock, The Farewell etc. and of course, The Oxford. In the latter case, the work was conducted in the city in 1791 at a degree ceremony at which Haydn was awarded an honorary doctorate by Oxford University. However, in actual fact the work had been written previous to this occasion for performance in Paris. Haydn had not finished his set of 12 London Symphonies at the time of the ceremony, so he used his most recently performed work and one that was already familiar and known to Oxford musicians!


Bill Clinton receiving an honorary
doctorate from Oxford University
in 1994

NOTES ON THE MUSIC:

Melody: Graceful, well-balanced melodic lines are a key feature in music of the Classical Period. The melodies often are structured in regular eight bar phrases (known as periodic phrasing). The first four bars are known as the antecedent (question) and the second four bars are called the consequent (answer). However, this said, there are some interesting quirks in the Oxford in terms of melodic phrasing. For example, in the third movement (Minuet and Trio) Haydn writes two six bar phrases at the opening of the Minuet, and at the start of the Trio, we have a series of three bar phrases (woodwind-strings-woodwind) followed by a seven bar phrase etc.
However, this aside, the melodies are well-balanced with pleasing lines of symmetry (a true Classical ideal!) Listen to the opening of the second movement for a good example of a 4+4 bar melodic phrase

Rhythm: Haydn exploits rhythms to good effect throughout the symphony. In the fast movements (one and four), straight crotchet/quaver rhythms propel the music forward (Listen to the opening of the fourth movement). Dotted rhythms are used expressively as a feature of the Adagio melody of movement two as well as triplet figures, semiquaver and demisemiquaver patterns in this movement. As the tempo is slow, Haydn can explore these different rhythm patterns more easily. Notice too, how in the Minore middle section of this movement, drama is heightened not only by the change of tonality, but the ‘Forte’ semiquaver patterns (and later demisemiquavers too!) The strong dance rhythms of the Minuet are simple but effective, i.e. 2 quavers (upbeat)-crotchet-crotchet - 2quavers – 2 crotchets. Listen out for this and you will feel the strong three in a bar dance beat! This strong ‘on the beat’ feel is contrasted at the start of the trio. Haydn cleverly uses tied notes in the horns and bassoons to disguise the three in a bar feel (as well in the 3 bar irregular phrasing)

Harmony:
In the Classical Period the harmony was essentially diatonic (chords in the key of the music in root position and first inversion) as well as using the odd chromatic chord for dramatic effect, most commonly the diminished seventh.
The harmony is functional (i.e. the chords have a function and are not used just for colour. They form progressions leading towards a cadence). A good example is in the slow introduction to the first movement. The fourth bar (and bar eight) employs chords I - V forming an imperfect cadence etc. Throughout the work too, Haydn uses sustained tonic and dominant pedals as a harmonic device. A good example of a tonic G major pedal can be heard at the start of the last movement (Presto) in the cellos.

Texture: A variety of textures are explored in the music, but the most common by far is melody dominated homophony i.e. tune plus accompaniment. The openings to all four movements provide examples. The most common type of accompanimental figure of the period is called the alberti bass (associated with Domenico Alberti 1710-1746). This is simply a broken chord figuration, much favoured by the Viennese Classical composers.

Octaves are used to great effect too. Listen to the start of the development section of the first movement for example.

Monophonic (solo) sections appear from time to time in short phrases
Alternating wind and string textures provided a dialoguing effect throughout each movement (e.g. start of the trio of Minuet and trio).
Haydn also uses imitation to build up textures. An example of this occurs 16 bars into the development section of the first movement starting in the basses of the strings and going up though the parts.

A number of different orchestral textures and timbres are heard in the work resulting from different instrumental groupings. They include:

• (a) Tutti - full orchestra
• (b) Strings alone
• (c) Woodwind alone
• (d) Solo woodwind(s) with string accompaniment
• (e) The addition of brass and timpani to woodwind and strings to add harmonic filling at cadential points
• (f) Horns and bassoons with string accompaniment
• (g) Doublings e.g. flute (and later oboe) doubling with the first violins in second movement.

Structure: In terms of structure, this is a mature Classical Symphony in four movements with the outer movements (I: Adagio - Allegro spiritoso and IV:Presto) written in Sonata Form. This form was the stable form for large scale works of the period. It comprises three main structural sections – the exposition, development and recapitulation. There are two main melodies (called subjects).
In the exposition which are contrasted in both character and key. (e.g. 1st subject in tonic – 2^nd subject in dominant (or relative major/ minor).

In the development section the 1^st and /or 2^nd subjects are ‘developed’. The music explores more distant keys (avoiding tonic and dominant keys).

In the final section (recapitulation) 1^st and 2^nd subjects come back providing a balance to the exposition section However, this time the 2^nd subject is in the tonic key to end the work.

The second movement (II: Adagio cantabile) is a slow, Ternary (ABA structure) movement and the third (III: Menuetto: Allegretto), is the usual Minuet and Trio (again ABA.)

Instrumentation:
Classical Symphony orchestra. The standard classical orchestra of the period comprised double woodwind (2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 2 oboes, and 2 bassoons), brass (2 trumpets, 2 horns), strings and timpani. However, in this work Haydn does not feature the clarinets.

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