Haydn The Paris Symphonies

Haydn's Symphonies Nos. 82-7 are seminal works in Haydn's output and mark a new level of compositional attainment, launching the important cycle of mature Haydn symphonies written for an international audience. Three chapters of the book deal with the reception of Haydn's symphonies in Paris, documenting the extent to which they dominated the repertoire of important public concert series. The aesthetic basis of Haydn's reception in Paris in the 1780s is considered in discussions of the notions of 'popular' and 'learned' taste and such notions inform the commentaries on the symphonies themselves. Thus as well as discussing technical features of Symphonies Nos. 82-7, broader concerns include the relationship between orchestral splendour and eighteenth-century notions of beauty; the relationship between genius, originality and convention; irony and humour; and the updating of popular orchestral taste.

Commissioned in 1786, these six symphonies were created for an extraordinarily large Paris-based orchestra of both professional and amateur players. Reproduced from the authoritative Breitkopf & Härtel editions.

An introduction to the musical work and cultural world of Joseph Haydn.

This definitive study of the life and works of Joseph Haydn represents half a century of research. As curator of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna, Dr. Geiringer was in charge of one of the world's leading Haydn collections. His scholarly investigations took him to various monasteries, to libraries in Eisenstadt, Prague, Berlin, Paris, London, and Washington, D.C., and, as guest of the Hungarian government, to the previously almost inaccessible archives of the Princes of Esterhazy in Budapest.

It was in his monumental 12 "London" symphonies, composed between 1791 and 1795, that Haydn shaped the early form of the symphony and set the standard for later composers. According to the "New Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians," the appeal of these works stems from their stature as "grand" symphonies, embodying a "broader presentation of musical ideas" and "themes and motifs of a basic simplicity and immediate appeal." The present volume contains the last six symphonies in the series, including the lively "Military" Symphony (No. 100), the delightful "Clock" Symphony (No. 101), and the world-famous "London" Symphony (No. 104). Scores included in this volume are Symphony No. 99 in E-flat Major; Symphony No. 100 in G Major ("Military"); Symphony No. 101 in D Major ("The Clock"); Symphony No. 102 in B-flat Major; Symphony No. 103 in E-flat Major ("Dumroll"); and Symphony No. 104 in D Major ("London"). The attractive qualities of these works have made them perennial favorites with musicians and concertgoers for over two hundred years. Now music lovers can study and enjoy the elegant structure and polished orchestration of these enduring masterpieces in this authoritative full-score edition.

A guide to the symphony, with commentary on 118 works by 36 composers.