DOUBLE PLAY—BACH, MOZART, HAYDN
PROGRAM NOTES
Haydn: Symphony No. 6 in D Major
In 1761, shortly after he entered the patronage of the Esterházy court, Franz Joseph Haydn created a symphonic trilogy based on times of day: Symphony No. 6 (Le Matin), Symphony No. 7 (Le Midi), and Symphony No. 8 (Le Soir). Although Prince Paul Anton reportedly suggested the topic to Haydn, the source of the concept may have been a fashionable pantomime ballet that made its début at the Burgtheater in 1755, where the Prince had a regular box: Les quatres parties du jour en quatres ballets différens. Because the Esterházy orchestra was relatively small, featuring seven string players, one flute, one bassoon, and pairs of oboes and horns (other musicians may have joined in when available), all three symphonies showcase individual instruments in a way distinct from Haydn’s later “Paris” or “London” symphonies. As Haydn was still in the process of establishing relationships with the court musicians, it is also tempting to conjecture that these sparkling obbligato lines may have helped endear him to his players.
The “morning” theme is evident from the opening Allegro of Symphony No. 6, in which gently pulsing rhythms, gradually ascending melodic lines, and a dramatic crescendo evoke the rising sun, as birds rouse in the solo flute and oboes. The intimate tone of the second movement, scored for solo violin, solo cello, and strings, suggests a chamber-like domesticity, almost as if we are glimpsing the simple activities of a household awakening for the day. Wind instruments return to prominence in the stately Menuet, while exhilarating solos for flute, violin, and cello delicately embroider the lively texture of the Finale.
J. S. Bach: Concerto for violin and oboe in C Minor, BWV 1060
Johann Sebastian Bach’s concertos exemplify the idea of musical dialogue. Even his initial forays into the genre can be understood as a sort of conversation with other composers: rather than starting tabula rasa, Bach transcribed violin concerti of Vivaldi, Ernst, Marcello, and Telemann for the keyboard. Bach then added his own musical commentary, customizing each work for its new instrument with counterpoint, arpeggiation, and other idiomatic figuration. The fluid transformation of one piece to the next was not unusual in the baroque period. Soloists were interchangeable in many concerti, and through the technique of "parody," or reworking, one concerto could easily be adapted for another instrumentalist. The Concerto for oboe and violin (BWV 1060) is an excellent example. Although best known to modern listeners in the version performed this evening, it survives in written form only as a later work for two harpsichords. Throughout the concerto, the soloists and orchestra play relatively equal roles. Although the oboe and violin take over in the second movement with long-winded, lyrical melodies, the entire ensemble trades melodic fragments with vigor in the first and third.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto for flute and harp in C Major, K. 299
After a long stay in Mannheim, Mozart and his mother Maria Anna arrived in Paris at the end of March 1778—and within a few days, he was commissioned to write the Concerto for flute and harp (K. 299) for Adrien-Louis Bonnieres de Souastre, Comte de Guines, flutist and former French envoy to England, and his daughter, who was a harp player. As many of Mozart’s works from this period illustrate, one of the most fashionable Parisian musical genres was the symphonie concertante—a concerto with multiple soloists that blended virtuosic idiomatic writing with a casual, popular style. The Concerto for flute and harp fits the definition of the symphonie concertante nicely. Mozart was composing for extremely accomplished soloists; according to a letter Mozart wrote to his father in May 1778, the Comte de Guines was an excellent flute player, and his daughter’s harp playing was “magnifique; she has a lot of talent and ability, especially a superb memory, for she plays all of her pieces by heart, and she knows about 200.” At the same time, the concerto’s breezy and attractive melodies make its degree of difficulty virtually undetectable.
Although the flute and harp share a similar sweetness in their tone, Mozart uses limited orchestral resources to great effect throughout the work in order to enliven its timbre. In the first and third movements, he places the oboes prominently in the foreground—almost as if they were additional soloists in the concertante. In the Andantino—in which he divides the violas into separate sections—lush melody in the full strings serves as a rich counterpart to the delicacy of the soloists. The concerto’s irresistibly attractive melodies, which have made it one of Mozart’s most popular pieces, belie the difficulties he faced in Paris, including the tragic death of his mother in July 1778.
Haydn: Symphony No. 87 in A Major
Like Mozart’s Concerto for flute and harp, Haydn’s Symphony No. 87 in A Major bears connections to the French capitol. First performed in 1787, the symphony is one of the “Paris” symphonies commissioned at the end of 1784 or the beginning of 1785 by Count Claude-François-Marie Rigoley d’Ogny, who headed a fashionable concert series known as the Concert de la loge olympique (Concert of the Olympic Lodge), which was connected with the Freemasons. The orchestra of the loge olympique was very large for its day, featuring 40 violins, ten double basses, and doubled woodwinds, and its patrons included Marie Antoinette and her ladies in waiting. In keeping with this fancy image, players were required to wear sky-blue brocade coats, lace ruffles, and swords. The “Paris” symphonies were extremely well-received; a Mercure de France critic particularly praised "this vast genius, who in each one of his pieces knows how to draw developments so rich and varied from a unique theme (sujet)--very different from those sterile composers who pass continually from one idea to another for lack of knowing how to present one idea in varied forms.”
When the symphonies were published, Haydn recommended to the publisher Artaria that the Symphony No. 87 be printed first, suggesting that perhaps he composed the work before the other “Paris” symphonies. Indeed, the work is sometimes characterized as the most cautious of the six. Scored without trumpets and drums, the symphony foregoes the traditional slow introduction and begins Vivace from the start. Winds come to the foreground in the ensuing Adagio, which features flute, oboe, and bassoon in addition to strings. Following the traditional stately Menuet, the symphony concludes with a brief Rondo marked Vivace, its energy and zest taking the work to a triumphant conclusion.
