Symphony No. 8 G major [antikvár]

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 8 in G major Subtitled ' Le Soir this symphony forms the third in a trilogy which Haydn composed in 1761 for Prince Anton Esterházy. The designations 'Le Matin' (No. 6), ' Le Midi' (No. 7) and ' Le Soir' (No. 8) appear to be authentic, as the one extant autograph (No. 7, in the Esterházy Archives at Budapest) contains the title ' Le Midi' in Haydn's handwriting, and many of the old copies as well as the so-called ' Kees catalogueretain the subtitles. According to A. C. Dies^, who wrote one of the two authentic biographies appearing in 1810—the other was by G. A. Griesinger—the Prince himself suggested the idea to Haydn; it is further related that these were the first symphonies which the young composer wrote in his new position as Assistant Capellmeister to the Court of Prince Esterházy in Eisenstadt (he had been engaged, according to the dated contract still preserved in the Esterházy archives, on 1 May, 1761). The new symphonies were scored for a much larger orchestra than any of Haydn's earlier works in this form, most of which were composed for his earlier patron, the Count Morzin, in Lukavec, near Pilsen. The trilogy marks, in fact, an important turning-point in Haydn's artistic career; for the excellence of the Esterházy orchestra, which contained the best players of Europe, including Luigi Tomasini, the leader of the band, seems to have encouraged Haydn to new efforts: these symphonies are by far the most superior works produced up to that date. All three works were quite obviously composed around a programmatic 'A catalogue of Haydn's symphonies owned by the wealthy Viennese amateur, Hofrat Franz Bernhard Ritter von Kees, which Haydn used as the basis for his thematic catalogue of 1805. Pubhshed in facsimile in J. P. Larsen, Drei Haydn Kataloge, Copenhagen, 1941. 'Biographische Nachrichten von Joseph Haydn, Vienna, 1810, p. 44. background, which Haydn was wise enough not to reveal. The beginning of ' Le Matin ', for example, brings to mind a sunrise, while the finale of Le Soir ', subtitled' La tempesta is intended to portray a summer thunderstorm. The orchestration shows strong traces of the Concerto Grosso, and in No. 8 a Concertino of two solo violins and solo violoncello is set off against a Ripieno group consisting of one flute, two oboes, a bassoon, two horns, strings and harpsichord. The latter instrument, though not specifically notated by Haydn, is absolutely necessary for a proper stylistic execution of the work. For this new edition a number of MS. sources in addition to the first print were consulted: (1) MS. parts, Gesellschaft der Musik-freunde, Vienna, cat. XIII, 10952; the original title page is lost; there are parts for ' Violino Prime Solo ', ' Violino Primo Ripieno ' Violino Primo obligate ' Violino Secondo Solo,' ' Violino Secondo Ripieno,' ' Violino Secondo obligate,' ' Viola,' ' Violonzello [sic] Solo,' ' VioIonzello[sic] o Violen ebli[gato],' ' Basso,' ' Flauto Traverso,' ' Oboe Prime,' ' Oboe 2do,' ' Fagotto ebligato,' ' Corno Primo in G,' ' Corno 2do in G '. The parts are 4° and may be approximately dated 1770. (2) MS. parts, also in Gesellschaft der Musikfreimde (same cat. no.), with the title: ' La Tempesta/Sinfonia/á/ 2e Violino Prind-pale/ 2e Violini Oblig:ti/ 2e Oboe é 2e: Corni ebl:/ Flauto = Travso é Fagotto/Viola ex Violoncello/ col/ Basso/ Del Sigre Giusep: Heyden[sic] '; the parts are 4" and date from the last quarter of the 18th century. (3) MS. parts. Prince Thurn und Taxis archives, Regensburg, cat. J. Haydn 4, with the title: ' La Sera/ Sinfonía a; Due Violini Principali/ Due Violini ripieni/ Flauto Sole/ 2 Obei/ 2 Corni G/ 2 Fagotti/ Violoncelli /e Violene/ Da Giuseppe Haidn[sicJ 8'; the parts are in oblong format and date from about the last quarter of the 18th century. (4) First edition, printed by Bailleux, Paris. This edition was announced in the Almanack