Download Franz Joseph Haydn Austrian composer born: 31

Franz Joseph Haydn
Austrian composer
born: 31 March 1732, Rohrau; died: 31 May 1809, Vienna
Symphony No.96 in D major, "Miracle"
Adagio; Allegro
Andante
Menuetto: Allegretto; Trio
Finale: Vivace
These are the first Classics performances of this work; duration 25 minutes
Franz Joseph Haydn could have never guessed that he would one day be regarded as the
valedictorian of the classical era. Through the journey of his long and healthy life, Haydn created
a prolific body of works, including 108 symphonies, about 70 string quartets, and a wealth of
music for voice, from simple songs to grandiose oratorios. His music is marked by a clear
definition of form, a genteel sense for melody and a poet's intuition for accent and meter. With
regard to style and form, although Haydn was inspired by the masterworks of the Late Baroque, it
was he who defined the classical format of both the symphony and the quartet. In sum, the
composer enjoyed the highest celebrity in his own lifetime, revered even by Beethoven. And
when the dawn of Romanticism broke from the latter's great Eroica symphony, Haydn, in gray
eminence, was there to bear witness. His creative life had spanned an entire musical age.
Haydn served for 30 years under the employ of Prince Nikolaus of the Esterházy court in
Eisenstadt, Hungary. During that time the composer scored not fewer than 92 symphonies, most
of them written as entertainments for the royal family and their frequent visitors. Though the
orchestra was small, one can imagine the desirable influence such events had on Europe's most
prominent dignitaries, all of whom became messengers for the luster and chic of the House of
Esterházy.
But when Prince Nikolaus passed on to his reward, Haydn was suddenly free to accept new
opportunities at diverse venues. A major request arrived from England's premier impresario and
violinist, Johann Peter Salomon, who wanted to add prestige to his own concert series in London.
Notwithstanding Haydn's age and other practical issues, he accepted the challenge, to the surprise
of his devopted admirers. Among them was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who wrote "I am a little
worried about Papa Haydn going to London - he knows so few languages, least of all English."
Haydn arrived in the English capital early in 1791 and lost no time getting to work. The
creative interval was the first of two extended visits he would make over the next four years, a
period in which he completed all twelve of the so-called "London" or "Salomon" symphonies,
Nos.93 through 104. For both the composer and the impresario, the collaboration was immensely
successful. All of the new scores were premiered under Haydn's direction at the famed Hanover
Square Rooms, and tickets to the concerts became the hottest item in town. Even the reserved
London press could not hold back its enthusiasm - "...music by the greatest composer the world
has ever seen."
With all this, credibility gains for the special subtitle of Symphony No.96 - "The Miracle".
After the successful premiere of the work in April of 1791, a few extra performances were
scheduled. During one of them, members of the audience became so enthralled they clustered
near the proscenium of the stage, as close as possible to the musicians. Suddenly, a large
chandelier fell from the ceiling, crashing upon the just-emptied seats. Presto! - legend was born
and the title secured for all time.
As for the music, Haydn begins in his familiar Adagio-manner, sounding at first a simple D
major chord, replied darkly in D minor and followed by progressions of shadowy tenderness. A
liquid phrase in the solo oboe brings us at once to the dashing caper of the Allegro - its apparent
simplicity belied by ambitious writing for the violins.
In complementary G major, the second movement Andante offers a comfortable stroll in
three-quarter time, ending in bucolic solos in the plaintive oboe, flute and bassoon - is this a preecho of Beethoven? As for the strict fashion of the time (which required a courtly minuet),
Haydn obliges with the third movement in steadfast in D major. The key holds even through the
elegant trio which features a delightful lyric for the solo oboe.
Stand by for the wonderful, dance-like tune which opens the Finale - one wonders if Haydn
heard some Highland tunes in London's celebrated taverns. The rondo theme skips, hops and
leaps with child-like joy clear to the snappy close. 'Miraculous' - ? Perhaps. In any case, heaven is
in a happy mood.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antonio Vivaldi
Italian composer
born: 4 March 1678, Venice; died: 28 July 1741, Vienna, Austria
The Four Seasons
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
First Classics performance: 11 November 1973, with violinist Henryk Szeryng, conducted by
Michael Tilson Thomas; most recent performance: 16 September 2006, with violinist Sarah
Chang, conducted by JoAnn Falletta; duration 43 minutes
Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi is recognized among the greatest composers of the Late
Renaissance. But despite the fact that even J.S. Bach and others had praised Vivaldi's works, his
contribution to music was not fully credited until quite recently. At his passing, Vivaldi left a
very large collection of nearly 900 manuscripts, consisting mainly of autograph scores of his own
works, all of them bound into a set of twenty-seven volumes. For reasons of caprice or oversight,
it was not until the mid 1920s that the collection finally gained its deserved attention from
performers and historians.
As a child, Vivaldi was precocious and enjoyed the benefit of early lessons with his father, a
violinist in the orchestra of Saint Mark's Cathedral in Venice. Continuing his studies as a
seminarian, Vivaldi was ordained as a priest in 1703. But given his immense musical talents and
rather worldly nature, the church hierarchy knew better than to assign him to a parish church.
Instead he was appointed in 1709 to the post of violin teacher and conductor at the Ospedale
della Pieta, a Venetian school for abandoned or orphaned girls. It was there that Vivaldi picked
up his famous nick-name - incidental prete rosso - "the red priest" - because of his fiery red hair
and personal flamboyance. Under Vivaldi's direction the school orchestra and choir both
flourished and became known around Europe for their regular Sunday concerts. None other than
Jean Jacques Rousseau noted in his famous Confessions:
"Music of a kind that is very superior in my opinion and that has no equal throughout
Italy or perhaps the world is that of the schools for girls in Venice. Every Sunday at church
during Vespers music which is composed and directed by the greatest masters in Italy is
performed in the side galleries solely by girls, of whom the eldest is not even twenty years of
age. Nothing is more voluptuous nor more moving than this music."
But over time, Vivaldi's work eventually lost favor in Venice - largely because the church
hierarchy became impatient with the composer's liberal life style. The crushing blow came in
1737 when a Papal Nuncio ordered him to cancel an opera that was both artistically and
financially critical. Vivaldi tried to start a new life in Vienna, but by then the changing musical
styles made his assimilation impossible.
It was during those flourishing years at Ospedale that Vivaldi composed his most important
scores, including the now very famous set of violin concertos titled The Four Seasons. In fact,
the concertos comprised the first four of a larger set of twelve, published in 1725.
Each concerto is scored as a tone poem, scored on the familiar fast-slow-fast schematic in the
manner of the 'Italian concerto' (the favorite concerto modus of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.).
Moreover, each of the works represents a season of the year, complete with a sonnet that Vivaldi
authored himself. The charming amalgamation is one of the repertory's earliest examples of tone
poetry and 'word painting' in a purely instrumental frame. The technique derives from early
madrigals with melodic lines inspired by the text. For example, the word 'sky' is represented by a
high note, 'darkness' on a low pitch, 'birds' on trills, etc. - all with delightful effect. Vivaldi's text
is provided here in translation.
----------------------------------------------------Concerto No.1 in E Major, RV269 - Spring La primavera
Allegro:
Spring has come and joyfully the birds welcome it with happy song, while the
streams flow gently, murmuring to the breathing of the breezes. Thunder and
lightning cloak the sky with black, heralding a storm. Then when they are
silent the birds once again take up their harmonious song.
Largo
And here, in a pleasant flowery meadow, the leaves and the plants murmuring
gently, the goatherd sleeps, his faithful dog by his side.
Allegro
To the festive dance of the rustic bagpipe, nymphs and shepherds dance to
Spring brilliantly appearing.
-----------------------------------------------------
Concerto No.2 in G Minor, RV315 - Summer L'estate
Allegro non molto
Under the merciless summer sun man and flock languish, and even the
evergreen is burning. The cuckoo is heard, and soon, too, the turtledove
and the goldfinch sing. A gentle breeze blows but suddenly the north wind
unexpectedly moves against his neighbor. And the shepherd weeps because he
fears the impending storm and his fate.
Adagio
His tired limbs are robbed of their rest by his fear of the lightning and
heavy thunder and by the furious swarm of flies and hornets.
Presto
Alas, his fears are well founded, thunder and lightning fill the sky and
hail cuts down the fruit and proud grain.
-----------------------------------------------------
Concerto No.3 in For Major, RV293 - Autumn L'autunno
Allegro
The peasants celebrate with dances and songs the sweet joy of a rich harvest
and fill themselves with the liquors of Bacchus and end their merrymaking in
sleep.
Adagio molto; Allegro
The hunters at dawn with horns, guns and dogs sally forth to the hunt. The
beast flees and they follow his tracks. Already terrified and tired by the
loud noise of the guns and the dogs, wounded, threatened and weakened by its
flight, it dies of exhaustion.
-----------------------------------------------------
Concerto No.4 in For Minor, RV297 - Winter L'inverno
Allegro non molto
Trembling frozen in the icy snow in the strong blast of a terrible wind,
running and stamping feet all the time, and teeth chattering through the
intense cold.
Largo
Spending days of quiet contentment by the fire while the rain outside soaks
everyone.
Allegro
Walking on the ice with slow steps going carefully for fear of falling;
going fast, sliding, and falling down, going on the ice again and running
hard until the ice breaks and parts. Hearing the south wind, the north
wind, and all the winds unloosed in battle from their iron gates; this is
winter but what joy it brings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manuel de Falla
Spanish composer
born: 23 November 1876, Cádiz; 14 November 1946, Alta Gracia, Argentina
El amor brujo - Love and Sorcery
(Gitaneria - Gypsy Revel)
Introduction - Scene I
In the Cave - Night-time
Song of a Broken Heart
The Apparitioin
Dance of Terror
The Magic Circle - Fisherman's Story
Midnight - The Spells
Ritual Fire Dance
Scene II
Song of Will-o'-the Wisp
Pantomime
Dance of the Game of Love
Finale - The Bells at Dawn
First Classics performance: 15 November 1964, Lukas Foss, conductor; most recent
performance: 5 October 1997, Maximiano Valdes, conductor; duration 20 minutes
Music from the land of Cervantes, Goya and Salvador Dali often gives rise to traditional
motifs: flamenco dancers, enchanted guitars, bull fight music (Paso Dobles), and romantic sagas
like the opera Carmen. To a large extent, the music of Manuel de Falla conjures all of the above,
although those picaresque elements are borrowed for color accent.
In addition to his opera La vida breve, de Falla is well-known for his evocative rhapsody for
piano titled Nights in the Gardens of Spain and two ballets, The Three-Cornered Hat and the
current work, Love and Sorcery of 1927.
The storyline is a variant of the Don Juan fable - one of the world's most admired scoundrels
(immortalized in countless novels, plays, operas, films, etc. - what would we do without him?) In
sum:
An innocent gypsy girl of Andalusia - Candélas - is betrayed by a faithless caballero, who
dies at the hand of yet another deceived señorita. But when Candélas finds new love, the
murdered Don returns as a ghost, which she tries to exorcise with the Ritual Fire Dance.
Failing this, her new love, Carmélo, invokes the sorcery of Spanish legend: the amorous ghost
will be banished if he is lured by another woman while the new lovers embrace. For this
Carmélo brings a visitor from the city (a fatal beauty à la Carmen who knows how to deal
with certain men - dead or alive). Indeed, the ghostly Don is seduced and Candélas and
Carmélo are free.
Urgent, toreador trumpets open the curtain on the Introduction, followed at once by a nighttime sketch of In the cave, with mystery intoned by the exotic cadenza in the oboe representing
A broken heart. The Apparition is a brief fragment of haunting roulades in the harp and upper
winds, with a quick segue into the demonic Dance of Terror, punctuated with flinty Andalucian
rhythms.
In turn follows a splendid evocation via muted strings titled The Magic Circle (story of the
fisherman). Keyboard and woodwind chimes mark a very brief interlude - The Spells at Midnight
- which connects to the brilliant Ritual Fire Dance. The Scene music which follows offers a
reprise of the mysterious mood before the intriguing Song of Will-o'-the Wisp and Pantomime,
which offers brazen souvenirs of the opening music and memoirs of the sweet desire Candélas
once had for her ghostly caballero. In a moment the denouement is at hand with the beguiling
Dance of the Game of Love, with its sad and wailing reproach to the Don, damning him to fire just as the new dawn breaks at the sound of The Bells at Dawn.
P.S. Ballet performances of El amor brujo usually include a role for a mezzo soprano, with
vengeful lyrics: You took the dear love of a simple gypsy girl and cruelly betrayed her. But I am
the song of your destiny! The fire in which you burn! The wind to your flames! The hell in which
you drown! (For concert performance, the vocal lines are cued into various orchestral parts.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------notes by Edwaard Yadzinski
[email protected]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------