Haydn: Symphony 96 - 98

 

'Miracle' is more anecdotal than musical, plus it turns out the miracle occurrence happened at another Haydn symphony's performance altogether. Talk about a non-starter.

But thankfully, we don't need a miracle to listen to Symphony no. 96 in D major by Haydn.

Ádám Fischer takes a very slow Adagio to open Hob. I:96, which curiously switches to the minor on its restatement. Usually such a thing is reserved for expository transitions or the development. A simple four-note motive, short-short-short-long, takes up the attention of the entire first movement, with little in the way of a second theme. Haydn does use the three short quavers as their own rhythmic idea, the difference being they start on the beat rather than lead to the downbeat, as the main motive does.

Notable is the rise in chromaticism, even if Haydn hides its use in small transitional bits. A large silence divides the development from the recapitulation, although the recap is more developmental, relishing the journey to the Coda more than a restatement. A sudden switch to D minor, showing itself at a mere 10 bars from the final bar, reminds the listener of the slow introduction where he did the same.

Haydn also adds to the restatement of the opening idea in the second movement, here by wind responses the second time round. It should probably be noted the main melody emulates that of the first movement, with a solid short-short-short-long.

No theme and variations this time, Haydn instead simply offering up a three-part form second movement, with a stormy attitude in the middle. Another Coda of sorts uses solo instruments, mostly violin and viola, although some winds solo too in the final musical anticipation of the movement.

A rather pompous Minuet offsets the lyrical second movement, here given a heavy trod by Fischer. I daresay, these London Symphonies have received the Hungarian conductor's heaviest directions, both in tempo and in texture. The Trio features an oboe solo, with others joining that instrument in the second section. Again, a short chromatic transition takes my attention momentarily away from Haydn's melodic beauty.

I rather like the light tread of the fourth movement. While it wends to and fro, cruising through minor portions, many textural changes, and explosive sequences, I enjoy the catchy ritornello each time it appears.

Overall, I find Symphony no. 96 a rather economic and efficient composition. Where many of Haydn's symphonies surrounding it go for prolonged musical developments and complex textural jaunts, this one keeps things relatively compact and simple, even at 20+ minutes.

The opening introduction is afforded to the strings, although the flute is allowed to double the violins, making for a lovely texture. The declamatory, first-movement Allegro of Symphony no. 97 in C Major is perfect for the presence of trumpets and timpani, emphasizing 1 & 5 repeatedly. Also interesting is the dialogue Haydn gives the strings and winds after the main ensemble proclamations, as if the strings are trying to teach the winds a lesson, who tootle along beautifully nonetheless.

The exposition's transitional material skips along mightily before depositing the listener into a rather delightful triple-time dance, one separated by a noticeable silence. An abrupt turn to E-flat Major from G Major opens the development, which shifts up and down from there. Of course the recapitulation goes places unexpectedly, such as a trip to D-flat, but Haydn brings the listener back to C Major in the most delightful, if not circuitous, of ways.

The second movement is a theme and variations, one where Haydn puts emphatic stresses on the last beat of the measure. Like Hob. I:94, the theme is meaty enough to feel substantial, thus giving the variations a feeling of arriving after a journey for the listener. I can't say I remember seeing Haydn giving sul ponticello instruction to the strings before, but does so here; of course, I don't hear the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra playing that effect, so a missed opportunity there. The final Coda is what really brings the listener home, a wonderful wrap up from Haydn.

Legato and staccato are pinned against each other in the third-movement Minuet, as well as wonderful opportunities for the timpani, plus a short bass pedal for the cello. The Trio follows, colored by a folksy oboe and bassoon duet, a section oddly composed without any written repeats per Haydn's usual modus operandi.

I love the constant repeated notes in the final movement, ones which occur while the rest of the instruments swirl around them. The Rondo theme is another light, jaunty musical idea which delights me after every return. Here, Haydn injects quite a bit of development rather than opposing episodes. Again, little chromatic background lines color this delightful music imaginatively, not to mention some fermatas, ones which make the music sound like the movement will come its end slowly and quietly. Not so!


         









I wonder how many of Haydn's major-keyed symphonies begin in minor? It can't be many, if any. Well here it is, Symphony no. 98 in B-flat Major begins in B-flat minor. Not only that, but the Adagio introduction states the first movement's main theme, something usually left to the Allegro proper. An oddity for sure!

The first theme threatens a contrapuntal texture, but remains merely imitative, even if the textural motion is indeed more complex here. What follows the main theme is almost developmental all in itself, for it explores many distant areas and hints at exploring new thematic material, all before the development even arrives. If one is going to hear chromaticism, as I have pointed out in each symphony throughout this post, it is in this movement, and not just contained within the development. Really, this is an outstanding composition, full of invention and listening surprises.

The hymn-like aspects of the second movement are widely considered a tribute following the death of Mozart. Indeed, Haydn has seem to set aside the theme and variation and song forms to create something rather special at the passing of his colleague and friend. There is sheer beauty ingrained within its decorated melody, as well as a heavy atmosphere, music exploring all which should follow in Mozart's wake.

Allegro is the Minuet tempo here, a hair faster than normal for the dance movement. Fischer's reading lies a little on the solid side, although the balance between light and heavy are ably differentiated. Bassoon, flute, and oboe trade spots playing melody with the violin, but once again, it is the short chromatic transitions which reach out to me. Here, though, the transitions may lean towards mere half-step musical decorations than any implicit chromaticisms.

If Fischer has lain heavy on the Minuet movements in the London Symphonies, he takes this last movement at quite a snap. Hearing the first oboe solo takes ones breath away, where I particularly enjoy the feeling of a gentle shepherd's piping. I love the violin triple stops which punctuate some of the cadences, plus some folksy grace notes add a lot of fun.

As the very longest of Haydn's concluding movements in all of his symphonies, here timing at 8-and-a-half minutes, the composer adds some oddities halfway through its runtime. A string ensemble plays a folksy little dance by themselves, where Fischer makes all of the strings solo at this point with a focus on the first violin. Each time this ensemble appears, they explore a new home key at their return, mixed with some full-orchestra developmental episodes. 

If this t'weren't enough, Haydn slows the tempo to Moderato, although once the orchestra broaches semi-quavers, it sounds fast again. Afterwards, there is a short violin solo backed by harpsichord, a strange sound sound for Haydn, and here sounding more like a music box. This movement easily caps all of Haydn's finales which came before, even if there are some concluding movements equally as enjoyable.

This series of London Symphonies from Ádám Fischer and the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra were recorded at the start of the multi-year sessions of their complete Haydn symphony project. I have mentioned that this aspect saddled Haydn's most-beloved symphonic works with less-than adequately tamed acoustics, plus a backwards interpretive step, where conductor and orchestra eventually grew into Haydn's music, as well as a performing relationship, and found their footing by the end of their recordings.

As mentioned earlier, certainly the third-movement Minuets are come of the stiffest in Fischer's series. Because slow first-movement introduction were not consistently applied to Haydn's early and middle symphonies, it is hard to compare, yet I also sense Fischer moves along slower than dictated by the score. I would even say the same for some, not all, of the slow second movements.

And yet, I am delighted by the sound in this particular volume. Perhaps my ears have adjusted once again, but the wind-to-string ratio seemed better here. So too, these symphonies speak for themselves without intervention from later, more assured Fischer. Sure, these will not challenge Bernstein, Szell, and Jochum, but I don't think they need to. Haydn speaks for himself, and that is apparent in this volume.

 

 

 

Works
Symphony 96 in D Major 'Miracle', Hob. 1:96 (23.22)
Symphony 97 in C Major, Hob. 1:97 (25.57)
Symphony 98 in B-flat Major, Hob. 1:98 (29.40)

Performers
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra
Ádám Fischer, conductor

Label: Brilliant Classics
Year: 1988-89; 2002
Total Timing: 79.14