INKPOT CLASSICAL MUSIC FEATURES: HAYDN The London Symphonies

The Godfather of Musical Tansformation

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was no Beethoven. He did not write electrifying or thundering music like his one-time student. He was also not the inspired genius his child prodigy friend Mozart was, but he was no old hack either. Haydn was the single most important contributor to the development of the symphony and the string quartet, and wrote some of the most beautiful music in these forms.

He lived a long and comfortable life under the patronage system, becoming somewhat of a celebrity in his sixties. He was socially well-respected, not to the extent that Handel was, but definitely more than what Mozart or Bach could ever boast about.

It is perhaps unfair to compare Haydn with his contemporary Mozart. Although both underwent successful periods in Vienna in the 1780s, Mozart was a good 24 years younger. Both composers had great admiration for one another, and learnt much from each other. Mozart picked up a great deal of experience from Haydn’s string quartets, dedicating six of his own (Nos. 14-19) to Haydn. The older musician was highly impressed with Mozart’s symphonies, especially his last two (No. 40 and 41 “Jupiter”), and wrote his greatest symphonies after Mozart’s death in 1791. Mozart was most probably the closest friend Haydn ever had. Haydn married Anne Marie Keller, a wig-maker’s daughter – and lived to regret it for the next forty years. (The writer gratefully acknowledges the correction by Lindsay Jones. See below for comment.)

In 1761, Haydn had the good fortune of being hired by the princely Esterhazy family as Vice Kapellmeister, and was promoted to the full position of Kapellmeister five years later. His duties were to hire, train and maintain a small group of court musicians and to arrange for all musical requirements for the numerous social activities (both secular and religious) at the Esterhazy household. As court composer, he was also expected to produce music to suit a particular function or to create a specific mood, all at very short notice. Haydn was expectedly very busy and spent most of his time either at Eisenstadt or later at Esterhaz, only visiting nearby Vienna occasionally for short breaks. Despite his heavy workload, Haydn lived better than most musicians, as the case of Mozart clearly shows.

In 1790, Haydn’s employer Price Nikolaus died and the court chapel was dissolved. Haydn was retained as titular Kapellmeister but was relieved of most of his duties. Haydn took the opportunity to travel to England to visit violinist Johann Peter Salomon, who had made repeated requests for a meeting. When Haydn left London in June 1792, he had completed six symphonies (Nos. 93-98) and was the most famous composer alive (Mozart had died in the previous December). That same year, the young Beethoven (only 22!) received some lessons from the master. His first symphony was still eight years away, but already Haydn thought his music was too radical.

Haydn took a second trip to London in 1794. As in the first six symphonies, the second set (Nos. 99-104) was performed in a series of public concerts. Haydn never had the opportunity to compose for a full-sized, first-class orchestra before his visits, and his twelve “London” symphonies clearly show his ability as a composer. Together with Mozart’s last three, Haydn’s last set of symphonies occupy the pinnacle of classical symphonic output, only to be eclipsed by Beethoven’s blend of classical and early Romantic temperaments. Haydn continued to write beautiful music, composing his sublime set of six string quartets Op. 76 (1797) and an oratorio The Creation (1798). If Haydn had died young (Schubert at 31, Mozart 35), the world would be much the poorer in musical terms.

It no longer makes economic sense to invest in a single CD of Haydn symphonies when there are presently two competing sets of “London” symphonies at budget price. Taken from his landmark complete cycle of Haydn symphony recordings (all 104 of them plus rareties), the recordings of Antal Dorati and the Philharmonia Hungarica are divided into the first Double Decca set (Nos. 93, 94, 97, 100, 103, 104, Decca 452 256-2 budget price 2CDs) and the second (452 259-2).

Sir Colin Davis and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra also perform well in their recordings of the twelve, with Nos. 95, 96, 98, 102, 103, 104 occupying the first volume (Philips Duo 442 611-2 budget price 2CDs) and the rest in the second (442 611-2). Both groups play with poise and elegance, one is hard-pressed to choose between the two. Those wanting just one collection of Haydn symphonies, the first Dorati volume is the one to go for, as it contains the famous No. 94 “Surprise” and No. 104 “London”.

Isaak Koh is finally connected to the Net from home! Visit the at Singapore Symphony Orchestra Homepage for an interview with the new music director Shui Lan!

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cor. 20.12.97

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