Symphony No. 101 (Haydn)
Encyclopedia
The Symphony No. 101 in D major
(Hoboken 1/101) is the ninth of the twelve so-called London Symphonies
written by Joseph Haydn
. It is popularly known as The Clock because of the "ticking" rhythm throughout the second movement.
or 1794
. He wrote it for the second of his two visits to London (1791-2, 1794-5).
The work was premiered on 3 March, 1794, in the Hanover Square Rooms
, as part of a concert series featuring Haydn's work organized by his colleague and friend Johann Peter Salomon
; a second performance took place a week later.
As was generally true for the London symphonies, the response of the audience was very enthusiastic. The Morning Chronicle
reported:
The work has always been popular and continues to appear frequently on concert programs and in recordings.
s, two oboe
s, two clarinet
s, two bassoon
s, two horns
, two trumpet
s, timpani
and strings
.
The work is in standard four-movement
form, as follows:
D major
D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor....
(Hoboken 1/101) is the ninth of the twelve so-called London Symphonies
London symphonies
The London symphonies, sometimes called the Salomon symphonies after the man who introduced London to Joseph Haydn, were composed by Joseph Haydn between 1791 and 1795...
written by Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
. It is popularly known as The Clock because of the "ticking" rhythm throughout the second movement.
Composition, premiere, and reception
Haydn completed the symphony in 17931793 in music
-Events:*September 25 – The Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the "black Mozart", loses his command and is imprisoned at Houdainville.* Niccolò Paganini debuts as a violin virtuoso at age 11-Classical Music:...
or 1794
1794 in music
-Classical music:*Joseph Eybler – Christmas Oratorio*Joseph Haydn**Symphonies 100 in G "Military" and 101 in D "Clock"**Piano Sonata in E-flat, Hob XVI:52-Opera:*Luigi Cherubini - Eliza*Friedrich Heinrich Himmel – Il primo navigatore...
. He wrote it for the second of his two visits to London (1791-2, 1794-5).
The work was premiered on 3 March, 1794, in the Hanover Square Rooms
Hanover Square Rooms
The Hanover Square Rooms or the Queen's Concert Rooms were assembly rooms established, principally for musical performances, on the corner of Hanover Square, London, by Sir John Gallini in partnership with Johann Christian Bach and Carl Friedrich Abel in 1774. For exactly one century this was the...
, as part of a concert series featuring Haydn's work organized by his colleague and friend Johann Peter Salomon
Johann Peter Salomon
Johann Peter Salomon was a German violinist, composer, conductor and musical impresario.-Life:...
; a second performance took place a week later.
As was generally true for the London symphonies, the response of the audience was very enthusiastic. The Morning Chronicle
Morning Chronicle
The Morning Chronicle was a newspaper founded in 1769 in London, England, and published under various owners until 1862. It was most notable for having been the first employer of Charles Dickens, and for publishing the articles by Henry Mayhew which were collected and published in book format in...
reported:
- As usual the most delicious part of the entertainment was a new grand Overture [that is, symphony] by HAYDN; the inexhaustible, the wonderful, the sublime HAYDN! The first two movements were encored; and the character that pervaded the whole composition was heartfelt joy. Ever new Overture he writes, we fear, till it is heard, he can only repeat himself; and we are every time mistaken.
The work has always been popular and continues to appear frequently on concert programs and in recordings.
The music
It is scored for two fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s, two oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, two clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, two bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s, two horns
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, two trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
and strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
.
The work is in standard four-movement
Movement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
form, as follows:
- Adagio - Presto
- Andante
- MenuettoMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
: Allegretto - VivaceVivaceVivace is Italian for "lively" and "vivid". It is pronounced in the International Phonetic Alphabet.Vivace is used as an Italian musical term indicating a movement that is in a lively mood ....