Symphony No. 15 (Haydn)

Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 15 in D major, Hoboken I/15, may have been written between 1760 and 1763.[1]

The symphony is scored for two oboes, bassoon, two horns, strings, and continuo, with a solo for two violas or cello in the trio of the minuet.[2]

It has four movements:

  1. Adagio, 3
    4
    Presto, 4
    4
    – Adagio, 3
    4
  2. Menuet e Trio, with the Trio in G major, both 3
    4
  3. Andante in G major, 2
    4
  4. Presto, 3
    8

The opening movement is more similar to a baroque overture than sonata form though the movement still eludes either of these forms and has a unique character of its own. The movement begins with a light adagio with the first violins alternating with two horns while the rest of the string section accompanies in pizzicato. The Presto has two themes with distinct bridges between themes; however, it is difficult to define which section is the exposition, development, and recapitulation, if in fact there even are such sections. The movement finishes with a modified version of the Adagio at the beginning of the movement.[3]

The work is one of the few symphonies of the Classical era to place the minuet second (others include Haydn's 44th Symphony and Symphony B as well as his brother Michael's 15th and 16th Symphonies). The G major trio was likely played as a quintet focusing on a dialog between violin I/violin II and viola/cello played over a bass.[3]

The slow movement is for strings and has one principal theme with several bridge motifs.

The final movement is a dance-like presto in ABA form.

References

  1. ^ H. C. Robbins Landon, The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. London: Universal Edition & Rockliff (1955): 637
  2. ^ Landon (1955): 637. "2 ob., 2 cor., str. with 2 violas or solo vcl. in trio [ fag., cemb. ]"
  3. ^ a b A. Peter Brown, The Symphonic Repertoire, Volume 2 (Bloomington and London: Indiana University Press, 2002): 77–78. ISBN 025333487X.