Record of the day: Franz Joseph Haydn, “Symphony Nos. 48 and 49”
Franz Joseph Haydn
“Symphonies N°48 and 49” (Cd DG 419 607-2)
This excellent CD allows us to appreciate different aspects of the compositional personality of Franz Joseph Haydn, the great Master of the
classicism which, unlike Mozart and Beethoven, never managed to completely conquer the hearts of Italian music lovers; it is
It is difficult to understand the reason for this resistance given that Haydn’s music is not only extremely pleasant to listen to but also possesses an unparalleled freshness of inspiration that extends across hundreds of works intended for the most diverse ensembles.
The more than one hundred symphonies composed by the author in his long career represent one of the cornerstones of his production and are the simplest way to approach the luminous art of this genius.
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, an excellent American orchestra that plays without a conductor, presents us with two contrasting pages. The brilliant Symphony in C major was nicknamed (not by Haydn) “Maria Theresa” because it was initially thought to have been composed in 1773 for a visit of the Empress to Eisenstadt (but the manuscript discovered later revealed that the work was composed in 1769); it is characterized by lively tempos in which the sparkling
the melodic and rhythmic vitality of the first Allegro and the Finale contrast delightfully with the intimate cantability of the Adagio (one of the most beautiful composed by Haydn) and the lightness of the Minuet.
The music gushes forth with wonderful spontaneity, giving us twenty-five minutes of absolute enjoyment for the heart and mind.
Of the opposite nature, almost a photographic negative, is the tragic Symphony No. 49 composed in the same period.
Again, the subtitle “La Passione” is not by the author, but it conveys well the idea of austere and painful expressive intensity that embraces the entire compositional arc of the score.
The four movements are all in the dark key of F minor (except for a brief clearing in the Minuet Trio), while the slow introduction at the beginning is a direct stylistic reference to the ancient tradition of the Sonata da chiesa of the Baroque period; together with this reference to the past, the work seems to anticipate the future given that the flashes of strong drama that run through the entire composition prophetically anticipate stylistic characteristics that will be typical of Beethoven and Schubert.
Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical subjects.
This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: Un disco per ogni giorno dell’anno” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.
