Symphony No. 52 (Haydn)
Encyclopedia
The Symphony No. 52 in C minor is one of the last Sturm und Drang
symphonies composed by the Austria
n composer
Joseph Haydn
while the composer was in residence at Esterházy
in 1771 or 1772..
It is one of a number of minor-key symphonies that Haydn composed in the late 1760s and early 1770s, the others being Symphonies Nos. 39
, 44
, 45
, and 49
. The symphony was described, perhaps optimistically, by the noted Haydn scholar H. C. Robbins Landon
as "the grandfather of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
, also created with mathematical precision and in extreme conciseness.". It may also have served as a model for Mozart's
Piano Sonata K. 457
.
s, bassoon
, two horns
(in C alto), continuo
(harpsichord
) and strings
. This symphony is divided into four movements
:
The symphony has several distinct features. The first movement, written in Sonata-Allegro form
, establishes a contrast between an agitated and forte
opening theme in C minor, and a lyrical and piano second theme in the relative major (E-flat). Somewhat unusually, Haydn presents the second theme twice with transitional material in between its appearances. As with his Symphony No. 45
, the movement employs deceptive progressions in both the exposition (mm. 36-37) and recapitulation (mm. 130-31). The "anger and vehemence" established by the minor mode of the symphony surpasses Haydn's earlier minor key symphonic efforts.
. Haydn's early biographer Giuseppe Carpani
noted:
It has been speculated that the C minor symphony refers to no. 52 based both on the date of composition, which coincided with the Austrian practice of performing symphonies during the liturgical service, and the fact that unlike Haydn's other C minor symphony to which Carpani may have been alluding (Symphony No. 78
), no. 52 is a more serious work..
Sturm und Drang
Sturm und Drang is a proto-Romantic movement in German literature and music taking place from the late 1760s through the early 1780s, in which individual subjectivity and, in particular, extremes of emotion were given free expression in reaction to the perceived constraints of rationalism...
symphonies composed by the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
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...
while the composer was in residence at Esterházy
Schloss Esterházy
----The Schloss Esterházy is a palace in Eisenstadt, Austria, the capital of the Burgenland state. It was constructed in the late 13th century, and came under ownership of the Hungarian Esterházy family in 1622...
in 1771 or 1772..
It is one of a number of minor-key symphonies that Haydn composed in the late 1760s and early 1770s, the others being Symphonies Nos. 39
Symphony No. 39 (Haydn)
The Symphony No. 39 is a symphony in G minor by Joseph Haydn in 1767 or 1768. It is the earliest of Haydn's minor key symphonies associated with his Sturm und Drang period works . The work was influential and inspired later G minor symphonies by Johann Baptist Vanhal, Johann Christian Bach and...
, 44
Symphony No. 44 (Haydn)
The Symphony No. 44 in E minor, Hoboken 1/44, was completed in 1772 by Joseph Haydn. It is popularly known as Trauer...
, 45
Symphony No. 45 (Haydn)
Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp minor, known as the "Farewell" Symphony , was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1772....
, and 49
Symphony No. 49 (Haydn)
The Symphony No. 49 in F minor was written in 1768 by Joseph Haydn during his Sturm und Drang period. It is popularly known as La passione...
. The symphony was described, perhaps optimistically, by the noted Haydn scholar H. C. Robbins Landon
H. C. Robbins Landon
Howard Chandler Robbins Landon was an American musicologist.He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and studied music at Swarthmore College and Boston University. He subsequently moved to Europe where he worked as a music critic. From 1947 he undertook research in Vienna on Joseph Haydn, a composer...
as "the grandfather of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
, also created with mathematical precision and in extreme conciseness.". It may also have served as a model for Mozart's
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
Piano Sonata K. 457
Piano Sonata No. 14 (Mozart)
The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K. 457, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composed and completed in 1784, with the official date of completion recorded as October 14, 1784 in Mozart’s private catalogue of works. It was published in December of 1785 together with the Fantasy in C minor, K...
.
Movements
The symphony is scored for two oboeOboe
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, 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...
, 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 ....
(in C alto), continuo
Figured bass
Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones, in relation to a bass note...
(harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
) and strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
. This symphony is divided into four movements
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...
:
- Allegro assai con brio
- Andante, 3/8
- 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...
e trioTernary formTernary form, sometimes called song form, is a three-part musical form, usually schematicized as A-B-A. The first and third parts are musically identical, or very nearly so, while the second part in some way provides a contrast with them...
. Allegretto, 3/4 - Finale. Presto
The symphony has several distinct features. The first movement, written in Sonata-Allegro form
Sonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
, establishes a contrast between an agitated and forte
Forte
Forte/Forté may refer to:*Forte, but often ;. A person's strong point e.g. Preparing gourmet cuisine is his forte. The term is derived from the French fort meaning strength, which does not include an acute accent. The latter pronunciation is likely due to a confusion as a false cognate with the...
opening theme in C minor, and a lyrical and piano second theme in the relative major (E-flat). Somewhat unusually, Haydn presents the second theme twice with transitional material in between its appearances. As with his Symphony No. 45
Symphony No. 45 (Haydn)
Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp minor, known as the "Farewell" Symphony , was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1772....
, the movement employs deceptive progressions in both the exposition (mm. 36-37) and recapitulation (mm. 130-31). The "anger and vehemence" established by the minor mode of the symphony surpasses Haydn's earlier minor key symphonic efforts.
Liturgical Use
It is possible that, as with several other symphonies by Haydn and Mozart, the Symphony no. 52 was written for the purpose of being incorporated into the Catholic liturgyMass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. Haydn's early biographer Giuseppe Carpani
Giuseppe Carpani
Giuseppe Carpani was an Italian poet and writer born at Vill'albese, in Brianza .His father wanted him to study law, which he did in Milan and Padua, but after practicing briefly in Milan, he instead followed artistic pursuits...
noted:
Some other of Haydn's symphonies were written for the holy daysHoly Day of ObligationIn the Catholic Church, Holy Days of Obligation or Holidays of Obligation, less commonly called Feasts of Precept, are the days on which, as of the Code of Canon Law states,-Eastern Catholic Churches:...
. They were played in the chapel at EisenstadtEisenstadt- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
, in the chapel of the Imperial Court, and in other churches on such sacred feast days. They are written in G major, D major, and C minor.
It has been speculated that the C minor symphony refers to no. 52 based both on the date of composition, which coincided with the Austrian practice of performing symphonies during the liturgical service, and the fact that unlike Haydn's other C minor symphony to which Carpani may have been alluding (Symphony No. 78
Symphony No. 78 (Haydn)
The Symphony No. 78 in C minor, Hoboken 1/78, is a symphony by Joseph Haydn in 1782-Early set of symphonies for London:In 1782, almost a decade before Haydn composed the first of his famous London symphonies, he composed a trio of symphonies – 76, 77 and 78 – for a trip to London which...
), no. 52 is a more serious work..