Haydn 26

Haydn Symphony no. 26

Melody:

  • Examples of sturm and drang influences in S1. More emotion within the music (in minor key was quite unusual as well as makes use of syncopation)
  • 8 bar theme - fairly conventional
  • Following S1, Mannheim Sigh featured in 2 bar phrases answered up the octave
  • Melody outlines C#o7 chord
  • Uses unconventional phrasing of 5 bars
  • Second subject mainly stepwise, has a narrow range of furthest interval being a 5th
  • Lack of transition between S1 and S2 (both short)

Texture:

  • Homophonic texture (melody and bass) (2 part at opening)
  • Sinfonia a. 8 - Majority strings - only 5 instruments that aren’t strings Cembalo (harpsichord) plays bass line in left hand and chords in the right (Basso Continuo - remnant of Baroque Period, used less and less due to the lack of polyphonic textures)
  • The same Bass line is played by the violoncello, basso and fagotto (cello, bass and bassoon) at times the bass is doubled by the viola Haydn wrote the customary separate parts for violins I and II, but in the opening eight bar passage and in its repeats and developments (including bars 13–16), both parts are in unison.
  • In bars 1–8 and similar passages, for example, the seven staves on the page might initially suggest a fairly full texture, but there are *essentially only two parts, each doubled in octave(s)*Whilst the violins mainly had the melody, Oboe I doubles violin II at the unison in most of the second subject (bars 17–38 and 100–21)
  • Woodwind either doubles melody or has filler partsAway from bars 1–8 and similar passages, we find:• A single part in octaves (as in bar 43) – but this is rare.•
  • Three-part and four-part writing.In bars 40–42, there are sometimes three parts (where violins are in unison) and sometimes four (where they play in thirds). The viola is independent of cello and double bass, instead of doubling as in bars 1–8.

Mannheim influences/Commissioned Works:

  • Sturm und Drang influences   * Begins in Minor Key   * Usually associated with early Haydn   * Syncopated rhythms

Development of movement conventions:

  • Uses 3 movement structure, ends on the minuet and trio, this was the favoured format of baroque compositions, influenced by the Sonata de Chiesa & takes its roots in the French Overture
  • Two different types of music in the Baroque period, Sonata da Camera (For Chamber) and Sonata da Chiesa (For Church), where the Sonata da Chiesa would be for more ‘serious’ compositions
  • Sturm und Drang - Haydn’s first symphony in a minor key

Extra-musical influences:

  • Literary influences, example Sturm and Drang, ‘Storm and Stress’ (Minor Key, syncopation, Mannheim Sighs [plenty in 2nd movement])

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