HAYDN LIFE AND WORKS – PREPARATION 2

(S-11)

For Friday 16 Sept.

This week we'll look at some symphonies and commentaries on those symphonies. Here is a list of both:

Symphony 22 in Eb ("The philosopher") – Daniel Heartz, Haydn, Mozart and the Viennese School, 1740-1780 (1995), pp. 285-294.

Symphony 31 in D ("Hornsignal") – Charles Rosen, Sonata Forms (1980), 217-221 (See also Heartz above).

Symphony 39 in G Minor – H. C. Robbins Landon, The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn (1955), 271-297.

Symphony 46 in B major – James Webster, Haydn's "Farewell" Symphony and the Idea of Classical Style (1991), 267-287.

Symphony 60 in C major – Elaine Sisman, "Haydn's Theater Symphonies," Journal of the American Musicological Society 43/2 (1990), pp. 292-303, 311-320.

Listen to the entire symphonies, either in the library (scores and recordings on reserve) or on Naxos (scores on IMSLP). Read the indicated pages (posted online and books on reserve).

Please answer the following questions:

1) Which analysis do you feel gave you the most understanding of its symphony? Is this because of something about the author's overall approach, or just lucky insights? Explain.

2) Which analysis did you disagree with? Explain the disagreement. If you had no specific analytic disagreement, say which author irritated you and why.

3) Which symphony did you find the most striking, beautiful, astonishing . . .whatever? Explain what appealed to you as specifically as possible.

Type your answers and bring them to class on Friday. If you have any questions, send me an Email.