Symphony No. 27 (Haydn)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Haydn
's Symphony No. 27 in G major
(Hoboken I/27) was likely written before 1760. Its chronological position was assigned by Eusebius Mandyczewski
in 1907. Although later adopted by Hoboken
, Robbins Landon
has subsequently revised the work's likely chronological position and now believes that the symphony is one of Haydn's earliest, written at roughly the same time as symphonies nos. 15 - 18. Haydn himself may have labeled the symphony his 16th, although this remains unclear.
near the city of Hermannstadt (now Sibiu
in Romania
). Originally thought to be an original discovery, the symphony briefly acquired the nickname Hermannstädter after it was recorded under that title by the Romanian Philharmonic State Orchestra. Because of the political climate in Eastern Europe following the Second World War, it was some time before musicologists were able to examine the find and realize that the manuscript was a copy of a work that had already been published by Breitkopf & Hartel in 1907.
s, 2 bassoon
s, strings
and continuo
. horn
s were subsequently added to the score, probably by Haydn himself. The work is in three movements:
Despite the small forces at Haydn's disposal, the symphonic expression is broad and vigorous. The main theme of the opening movement hints at the Mannheim Rocket
, although in abbreviated fashion. The second hybrid subject employs a developmental device quite common in Haydn's early works. It starts in the dominant major
but concludes in the dominant minor, setting up a bright contrast with the closing refrain of the exposition
.
The second movement is a lilting 6/8 siciliano played on muted strings and without winds or horns. Robbins Landon describes the movement "as Italian an andante as was ever composed in Naples or Palermo". There is nothing particularly Italianate in its style. The symphony concludes with a bright, upbeat and brief finale that, like many of his other early works, is developmentally straightforward.
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
's Symphony No. 27 in G major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
(Hoboken I/27) was likely written before 1760. Its chronological position was assigned by Eusebius Mandyczewski
Eusebius Mandyczewski
Eusebius Mandyczewski was a musicologist, composer, conductor, and teacher. He was an author of numerous musical works and is highly regarded within Austrian, Romanian and Ukrainian music circles.- Family and friends :...
in 1907. Although later adopted by Hoboken
Anthony van Hoboken
Anthony van Hoboken was a collector and musicologist. He was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and died in Zürich, Switzerland.Hoboken trained as an engineer in Delft, before studying music in Frankfurt and Vienna...
, Robbins Landon
H. C. Robbins Landon
Howard Chandler Robbins Landon was an American musicologist.He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and studied music at Swarthmore College and Boston University. He subsequently moved to Europe where he worked as a music critic. From 1947 he undertook research in Vienna on Joseph Haydn, a composer...
has subsequently revised the work's likely chronological position and now believes that the symphony is one of Haydn's earliest, written at roughly the same time as symphonies nos. 15 - 18. Haydn himself may have labeled the symphony his 16th, although this remains unclear.
Nickname (Hermannstädter)
In 1946, a copy of the symphony was discovered in the summer palace of Baron Samuel von BrukenthalSamuel von Brukenthal
Samuel von Brukenthal was the Habsburg governor of the Grand Principality of Transylvania between July 6, 1774 and January 9, 1787...
near the city of Hermannstadt (now Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
). Originally thought to be an original discovery, the symphony briefly acquired the nickname Hermannstädter after it was recorded under that title by the Romanian Philharmonic State Orchestra. Because of the political climate in Eastern Europe following the Second World War, it was some time before musicologists were able to examine the find and realize that the manuscript was a copy of a work that had already been published by Breitkopf & Hartel in 1907.
Movements
Manuscript evidence suggests this work was originally scored for 2 oboeOboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, 2 bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s, strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
and continuo
Figured bass
Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones, in relation to a bass note...
. horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
s were subsequently added to the score, probably by Haydn himself. The work is in three movements:
- Allegro molto, 4/4
- Andante, C majorC majorC major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
6/8 (a SicilianoSicilianaThe siciliana or siciliano is a musical style or genre often included as a movement within larger pieces of music starting in the Baroque period. It is in a slow 6/8 or 12/8 time with lilting rhythms making it somewhat resemble a slow jig, and is usually in a minor key. It was used for arias in...
) - Presto, 3/8
Despite the small forces at Haydn's disposal, the symphonic expression is broad and vigorous. The main theme of the opening movement hints at the Mannheim Rocket
Mannheim school
Mannheim school refers to both the orchestral techniques pioneered by the court orchestra of Mannheim in the latter half of the 18th century as well as the group of composers who wrote such music for the orchestra of Mannheim and others.-History:...
, although in abbreviated fashion. The second hybrid subject employs a developmental device quite common in Haydn's early works. It starts in the dominant major
Dominant (music)
In music, the dominant is the fifth scale degree of the diatonic scale, called "dominant" because it is next in importance to the tonic,and a dominant chord is any chord built upon that pitch, using the notes of the same diatonic scale...
but concludes in the dominant minor, setting up a bright contrast with the closing refrain of the exposition
Exposition (music)
In musical form and analysis, exposition is the initial presentation of the thematic material of a musical composition, movement, or section. The use of the term generally implies that the material will be developed or varied....
.
The second movement is a lilting 6/8 siciliano played on muted strings and without winds or horns. Robbins Landon describes the movement "as Italian an andante as was ever composed in Naples or Palermo". There is nothing particularly Italianate in its style. The symphony concludes with a bright, upbeat and brief finale that, like many of his other early works, is developmentally straightforward.