This trio of symphonies were composed for a trip to London which Haydn never made. If nothing else, they catch the composer on his best behavior and dressed to impress, and it is interesting to hear the differences.
The first movement of Symphony no. 76 in E-flat Major is both propulsive and elegant, a lovely mixture. Loud rushing unisons announce the second subject in one of Haydn's clearer statements of an exposition.
An awkward shift from B flat to C introduces the development, where Haydn has the most fun with the returning rushing figures in minor. The following recapitulation is one of the more satisfying restatements I have heard in a Haydn symphony, allowing the composer to flesh out his ideas completely.
The second-movement Adagio is in a Rondo form, where its main melody is graceful in turns, gently spaced by rests across its phrases. The intervening episodes wander afar, usually into a more rugged, contrasting minor. When the 'A' portion returns, Ádám Fischer uses solo strings instead of the tutti ensemble, thus creating even more of a contrast for the listener, even in repeated and returning music. A quasi solo violin cadenza finishes off the movement.
A stately, yet graceful Minuet opens the third movement of Hob. 1:76. As per usual, it is the Trio which grabs the listener's attention, here giving over the solo to flute, bassoon, and violin. But it is the rocking folksy dance that surprises, perhaps the most dance-like I have heard Haydn so far.
The final movement begins in a dainty fashion, with decorations turning the melodic notes into genial little laughs. Along with some oddly-placed rests, Haydn turns these thematic titters into actual laughs in the development. Of course, he launches into the minor for a bit alongside some unusual progressions of harmony.
Again, a rather polite motive opens Symphony no. 77 in B-flat Major, with nothing particularly challenging for the listener. In the second motive, Haydn shears off the bass line for an interesting textural contrast, and then at the restatement, subs in the cello instead of the viola, with flute adding color. It is a simple process, but is actually quite effective.
The development is quite notable for its imitative properties, almost obsessively so and certainly more than we usually get from the composer. Fischer again puts in solo players for a small portion following the minor-keyed bluster and long fermata. I also notice the conductor likes to accent upbeats in the phrase for some articulation contrast, an interesting choice. Of course, a grab bag of unusually timed rests lead into the Coda, showing Haydn has not lost his touch of humor.
It seems like so long since I have heard a songful second movement, one without needing to rely on a Theme and Variations or Rondo form to generate drama. And this one is quite beautiful as it makes its way from beginning to end focusing solely on its song and instrumental colors.
The opening phrase of the Minuet is placed on the upbeat, leading into the downbeat. Here, Fischer puts emphasis on Haydn's choice by emphasizing the lead-in beat, making for a rather herky-jerky, almost echoing rhythmical feel. The Trio gives the solos to the oboes, bassoons, and violins this time, straightening out the rhythms more soundly.
Another gentle, yet pert fourth movement concludes the symphony, alongside a slightly driven second section. Again, Fischer puts the tiniest of accents in the strings to infuse some interest into music which could become foursquare after a while. Overlapping imitation rears its head again, creating an almost Baroque effect during the rather short development, a feeling carried through to a bass pedal in the recapitulation.
It has been a while since we have seen an honest-to-goodness minor-key in the title, yet here we are with Symphony no. 78 in C minor. A skipping, disjunct unison opening theme sets the tone of the work, although Haydn gives the motive an accompaniment at its restatement. Actually, it doesn't take long for Haydn to transition to the major, cutting some of the stinging Stürm und Dräng out of the atmosphere of this music.
An odd shift to the development is helped from an E-flat at the end of the exposition to E-natural beginning the next section. A nice back-and-forth imitative section drives home the overall motive, alongside some swinging horns, reminding me of what will eventually become Beethoven in his most recognizable minor key.
As if mentioning the difference previously has made it become a trend, the second-movement Adagio comes in a simple two-part form. A legato falling idea is immediately contrasted with short notes with rests betwixt them, an interesting idea to build a theme, even if the second part simply sounds out an arpeggio or scale.
It is odd for the second half of the Minuet to switch into minor, but that is what happens in the third movement, creating its own inner ABA form with the C Major main statement returning. The sound of solo bassoon adds to the strangeness here as well. Additionally, I can't remember a time when the Trio has sounded like an extension of the Minuet rather than doing its own thing. It does that here with solo oboe and violin in a highly decorated melody, almost to humorous effect.
The last movement returns to C minor, however, Haydn has other plans for this movement, as it finishes off in C Major. I like the little minor Rondo theme; it is an effective melody to have return, and the major episodes are rather folksy sounding opposite the minor portions. Plus, it wouldn't be Haydn if we didn't have some ill-timed rests to add dramatic pauses in the music. I wonder what audiences thought of them?
Symphony 76 in E-flat Major, Hob. 1:76 (20.42)
Symphony 77 in B-flat Major, Hob. 1:77 (17.58)
Symphony 78 in C minor, Hob. 1:78 (19.34)
Performers
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra
Ádám Fischer, conductor
Label: Brilliant Classics
Year: 1998; 2002
Total Timing: 58.35
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