Franz Joseph Haydn(1732-1809)

Title: The New Grove,Haydn-Jens Peter Larsen

Early Haydn
London Trip
Later Years,1790 MOVED BACK TO VIENNA

1)Moving force in the evolution of music in his own day,the 18th century.pp.85
2)Area- isolated part of Austria, Hungary from Veinna to Eisenstadt(Esterhaza) and Pressburg
3)Haydn's roots were in the traditions of Austrian music, from Baroque church music to divertimento and Singspiel.Listeners comprises of connoisseurs and amateurs.Baryton trios (must be mentioned-main instrument of the Prince)
4)1760 married Maria Anna Aloysia Apollonia Keller(daughter of wigmaker)
5)Music Director,1750s-Count Morzin(according to Griesinger-First Symphony written),Kapellmeister-Prince Nikolaus(initally Paul Anton but died 18/3/1762)Esterhazy,ctt 1/5/1761,based in Eisenstadt,then Eszterhaza -at first vice Kapellmeister to Gregorius Werner
6)The Esterhazy family was among the richest and most influential of the Hungarian nobility-pp.19
7)pp.27,In severalrespects he was veryisolated, and he because still more so at Eszterhaza. He was far away from any musical activities except his own performances. He had not,as in his younger years in Vienna,friends and colleagues with whom he could discuss problems. His contract told him to avoid 'undue familiarity' with his musicians and to keep them at a distance;the distance between himself and the princely family was of course still greater.Under these circumstances, it is even sadder that his marriage failed to provide him with a satisfactory family life.
- HIGHLIGHT
8)"My prince was content with all my works, I receive approval, I could, as head of an orchestra, make experiments, observe what created an impression, and what weakened it, thus improving, adding to, cutting away, and running risks. I was set apart from the world, there was nobody in my cicinity to confuse ans annoy me in my course, and so I had to become original".-Haydn

Vienna(1761),
Eisenstadt(1761-1766),
Eszterhaza,years of expansion(1766-1775),
Operatic activity(1775-1784);
foreign commissions(1785-1790);
London(1791-1795);
Vienna(1795-1809)

Piano Trio -particularly the G Major-Gypsy Rondo

London Period(1791-1795)
(pp.107)most remarkable-London symphonies(no.93-104,i.e.Surprise,Clock,Military,Drumroll)
This has to do with a broader presentation of musical ideas,and partly with sonority, a sound quality inspired by teh fine orchestras and concert rooms of London. Also, the use of themes and motifs of a basic simplicity and immediate appeal-ie Surprise Symphony no.94.
(pp.109)During Haydn's second stay(1ST&2ND STAY 1791-2,1794-5) in London,into the first year after his return to Vienna, Haydn composed more brilliant trios,much more impressive than the trios of about 1785. The trios of ten years before are in two movements,those of about 1790 in two or three;these are almost all in three. At thte same time there is an expansion and stronger characterization of the individual movements.

The first movements are mostly cast in extended sonata form, only occassionally in rondo or variation; the second movement generally haev some sort of variation or tripartite form; and the finales; in earlier trios often rondos or stylized minuets, are in sonata form or follow a ternary scheme, perhaps with the middle section in the tonic minor and the main section returning in varied form -only two are rondos -the best known of all the trios HV:25 in G with the 'Rondo all'ongarese' finale,is exceptional in having two rondos and no sonata movement)

Another noteworthy feature is Haydn's cantabile approach...not only in the slow movements, but in teh first movements as well (irrelevant-referring to E Major Trio, H XV:28,ex.4)

Altogether the late trios form an impressive final phase in Haydn's piano music.

(pp.10),No doubt, Haydn , like any typical 18th century composer,wrote whatever was needed at a given time, rather than out of a sense of inner compulsion. The natural ersult of such an aproach is a heterogeneous output, and any apparent advance or decline