Volume 8 has a whole lot in store for those who like winds, especially brass, for trumpets and horns figure prominently in these works. In addition, the key of C Major almost becomes tiresome, as it is so rampant across these four symphonies.
As a bone of contention, I do not hear the use of timpani in Symphony no. 30 in C Major, but few recording do. Trumpets, however, peal out joyfully, and even the oboes are allowed a few notes all to themselves.
The Alleluia subtitle is easy to identify in this first movement, although Haydn does decorate the main idea as he goes on for interest. Either way, the melody is pure joy.
Haydn shoves the horns aside in the middle of the gentle Andante movement to make way for a flute. Fortunately, there are more interactions amidst the orchestra with the instrument compared to Symphony no. 24, where flute danced alone in the spotlight. The flute even trades off with the oboes, sharing the love amongst the fellow players.
Like Symphony no. 26, Haydn ends No. 30 with a Minuet and Trio. It is not my favorite kind of conclusion for a three movement work from Haydn, but at least the composer adds a più tosto to the marked Allegretto tempo. More than that, this Minuet is made all the meatier by adding two Trio sections, one in F Major featuring flute, and the second in C minor with oboes, always bringing the swinging main C Major Minuet back betwixt the Trio sections.
No break from brass is given in Symphony no. 31 in D Major. Instead, as tipped off by the Hornsignal subtitle, Haydn features no less than four horns in all of their glory. The best horn moments are when the quartet splits into four parts, and Fischer allows them to play aggressively. Additionally, flute is carried over from Hob. 1:30 to make for a rather large wind section.
Akin to Symphony no. 27, a 6/8 Siciliano Adagio lends most of its attention to the first violin, although the four horns make sure they are included as a featured section once again. So much so, Haydn doesn't even included oboes or flute! Even the following Minuet and Trio makes way for the horns, but letting the flute and oboes back in on the fun.
The last movement is Haydn's first theme and variations in a symphony, at least as far as I have followed them numerically. Each subsequent variation features a solo instrument or section to show off, such as the four horns in Variation 4, or the poky Double Bass in Variation 7. The concluding section allows all of the forces to proceed at a swift Presto, having been held back through the theme and variations by a seemly Moderato. I can't say this is my favorite T&V from Haydn, but I think the importance is given over more to the players than the motive, at least in this listener's opinion.
C Major is back on tap in Symphony no. 32, yet this time, we hear from the timpani to pair the trumpets with. The sort of upward, fanfare like motive is typical when trumpets are involved, creating a magisterial or martial mood.
Haydn's second movement is a Minuet and Trio, a dance movement usually reserved for the third seat. He did this in Symphony no. 15 as well, where a choice like this is more the exception than a rule. When in C Major, Haydn tends to move to the Dominant key for the subsequent movement; here he remains in C Major, but moves to the parallel minor key C minor for strings alone in the Trio, offering the listener a C Major respite.
Continuing on, Haydn sets the following Adagio third movement in F Major, the Sub-Dominant key, again for strings only. This one is more genial than the minor-keyed Trio, and it is always fun to hear Haydn writing in the key of F. A rather short 3/8 Presto ends the symphony; this whole work reminds me that the composer's time with Count Morzin was a transitional period for Haydn.
Boy, am I getting tired of C Major! If I have done my math correctly, Symphony no. 33 is the first time a Vivace has been used to open a Haydn symphony thus far, a most unusual choice from the composer, and set in 3/4 time nonetheless. The Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra's timpani sound tubby to me when they are in use on this CD; I generally like a tighter thwack rather than a low thud. They certainly make an impact, though.
Once again, instead of moving to the Dominant key, as Haydn had done earlier on, the second movement is set in the parallel of C minor, here given over to string alone. I wonder if these works were composed near one another to bear these similar traits? Similarly to No. 32, The Minuet begins in the home key, only to move into F Major for the Trio, once more for string by themselves.
Leaping violin motions dominate the last movement Allegro, mainly leaving winds for moments to punctuate the musical action. Being another Count Morzin work leaves me to wonder if the Count ordered symphonies up for celebratory events, thus Haydn became familiar with a festival atmosphere in the key of C Major.
The recording intimates these symphonies were recorded in the spring of 2001, which I assume was at the very end of Ádám Fischer's Haydn symphonies project.
There was no one aspect which took me out of the experience of any of these performances; not the acoustic nor the period influence, which I have mentioned in previous entries. I do wonder when I have been focused on moments of reduced vibrato of the orchestra and the Baroque quality I hear from that approach, if I have glossed over tell-tale signs of the galant style from Haydn in these works. If so, I need to go back and appreciate his composing rather than fixating on performance attributes.
I have done a small amount of comparisons of this Fischer cycle with that of Antal Doráti's classic set. This has been mainly as a matter of listening to tempo choices and instrumentation between the two eras. Just by listening for those attributes, it is obvious Fischer's ensemble is lither whereas Dorati's is fuller. It just strikes me as two very positive aspects, just very different in sound - I think there are times where I would appreciate the Philharmonia Hungarica for more breadth and heft, whereas the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra offers sweeter playing and swifter readings.
Pardon my shifting focus on the individual symphonies. Today seemed to eye structural key relationships more than the music, whereas in earlier considerations, I am more interested in melodies and sounds Haydn chooses. I suppose this is the result of a layman blogger burrowing into a long series. Bear with me folks!
Now, give me more Haydn!
Works
Symphony 30 in C Major, Hob. 1:30 (13.34)
Symphony 31 in D Major, Hob. 1:31 (13.06)
Symphony 32 in C Major, Hob. 1:32 (13.40)
Symphony 33 in C Major, Hob. 1:33 (17.45)
Performers
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra
Ádám Fischer, conductor
Label: Nimbus / Brilliant
Year: 2001; 2002
Total Timing: 69.30
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