Symphony No. 73 (Haydn)
Encyclopedia
The Symphony No. 73 in D major
, Hoboken 1/73, is a symphony
by Joseph Haydn
composed in 1782
. It is often known by the subtitle La chasse (The Hunt).
(“Fidelity Rewarded”), a detail which has helped secure the dating of the symphony. The hunting melody of the finale is a quotation from La Chasse du cerf, a Divertissement
for solo voices, chorus, and instrumental ensemble by the eighteenth century French composer Jean-Baptiste Morin
. Morin himself drew upon the popular Sourcillade (or Vue) penned by André Danican Philidor
in the first decade of the 18th century. Haydn's theme was therefore widely recognisable as a hunting motif.
, two oboe
s, bassoon
, two horns
and strings
. Some versions also include two trumpet
s and timpani
which appear only in the Finale.
The first movement displays one of Haydn's favorite musical devices, turning accompaniment into melody. Here, this is done in the simplest possible manner by constructing the main theme out of repeated notes. Once the repeated-note theme is established, then any time repeated notes are used in accompaniment, it sounds to the listener like thematic counterpoint.
The second movement is based on Haydn's song Gegenliebe, Hob. XVIIa:16. The song forms the refrain for a rondo
. The contrasting episodes of the rondo are derived from the song-melody and are all in the minor.
The finale (see above) has an overture-like coda
which fades away for the rising curtain. Along with the famous coda to the Farewell Symphony
, La Chasse is one of the few Haydn symphonies to end quietly.
D major
D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor....
, Hoboken 1/73, is a symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
by Joseph Haydn
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...
composed in 1782
1782 in music
- Events :*March 17 – Violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti makes a début at the Concert Spirituel in Paris.* August 4 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart marries Constanze Weber.* William Shield is appointed resident composer to Covent Garden....
. It is often known by the subtitle La chasse (The Hunt).
Nickname (La Chasse)
The finale of this symphony features hunting horn calls and its nickname reflects the popularity of the hunting trope in eighteenth century musical culture. This movement was originally composed as the overture to Haydn's opera La fedeltà premiataLa fedeltà premiata
La fedeltà premiata is an opera in three acts by Joseph Haydn first performed at Eszterháza on 25 February 1781 to celebrate the reopening of the court theatre after a fire...
(“Fidelity Rewarded”), a detail which has helped secure the dating of the symphony. The hunting melody of the finale is a quotation from La Chasse du cerf, a Divertissement
Divertissement
Divertissement is used, in a similar sense to the Italian 'divertimento', for a light piece of music for a small group of players, however the French term has additional meanings....
for solo voices, chorus, and instrumental ensemble by the eighteenth century French composer Jean-Baptiste Morin
Jean-Baptiste Morin (composer)
Jean-Baptiste Morin was a French composer and the "Ordinaire de la Musique" to Philippe, Duke of Orléans before and perhaps during his regency. 1719-1731 was Morin "Maître de musique" of Louise-Adélaïde of Orléans, daughter of the Duke, at the royal abbey of Chelles, near Paris.Morin was born in...
. Morin himself drew upon the popular Sourcillade (or Vue) penned by André Danican Philidor
François-André Danican Philidor
François-André Danican Philidor , often referred to as André Danican Philidor during his lifetime, was a French composer and chess player. He contributed to the early development of the opéra comique...
in the first decade of the 18th century. Haydn's theme was therefore widely recognisable as a hunting motif.
Movements
The symphony is scored for fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, two oboe
Oboe
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, 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...
, two horns
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 ....
and 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...
. Some versions also include two trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s and timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
which appear only in the Finale.
- Adagio - Allegro
- Andante, 2/4 in G majorG majorG 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...
- MenuettoMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
& Trio: Allegretto - La chasse Presto
The first movement displays one of Haydn's favorite musical devices, turning accompaniment into melody. Here, this is done in the simplest possible manner by constructing the main theme out of repeated notes. Once the repeated-note theme is established, then any time repeated notes are used in accompaniment, it sounds to the listener like thematic counterpoint.
The second movement is based on Haydn's song Gegenliebe, Hob. XVIIa:16. The song forms the refrain for a rondo
Rondo
Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
. The contrasting episodes of the rondo are derived from the song-melody and are all in the minor.
The finale (see above) has an overture-like coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
which fades away for the rising curtain. Along with the famous coda to the Farewell Symphony
Symphony No. 45 (Haydn)
Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp minor, known as the "Farewell" Symphony , was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1772....
, La Chasse is one of the few Haydn symphonies to end quietly.