Haydn, Joseph: Symphony No. 102 in B-flat Major

The Energy of Haydn’s Symphony No. 102: Whence it Came
and How it Manifests Itself

A Biographical and Analytical Approach

By Teddy Abrams
IMA Web Senior Editor

During the premiere of Joseph Haydn’s Symphony
No. 102 in B-flat Major in London, a chandelier crashed to the floor as the
orchestra performed the finale. Miraculously, everyone present was safe, and
the Symphony was called the “Miracle.” Somehow, the name “Miracle” became
attributed to Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, but Symphony No. 102 is nonetheless a
miracle of energy and brilliance. Each of its four movements is as tightly
constructed as is possible in a symphonic work. People have been amazed by the
overwhelming liveliness found throughout this symphony ever since its premiere
on February 2, 1795. This energy comes from Haydn’s extraordinary control of
musical tension, orchestration, and motivic structure. On a biographical level,
part of Haydn’s energy came from his new and exciting experiences in London and
from the immense encouragement and praise that he received from people around
the world as they recognized him as one of the greatest composers. We will
examine the factors both in Haydn’s life and in the Symphony No. 102 itself that
give the music such wonderful life and liveliness.

I. Overview of the Life of Joseph Haydn Leading to the London
Symphonies

The purpose of this section is to
provide an overview of the developments in Haydn’s life up to the time he wrote
the Symphony No. 102. This overview will present the context in which Haydn
wrote the London Symphonies (the last symphonies he composed). Knowing such a
context can help us to better understand the experiences and events in Haydn’s
life that contributed to the emotions and character of these late symphonies.

From 1761 until 1790, Haydn worked
for the wealthy and powerful Esterházy family as Kapellmeister (first
Vice-Kapellmeister and later Full Kapellmeister) of the palaces at Eisenstadt
and then Esterháza (after the Esterházy court moved there in 1766). He was
hired by Prince Paul Anton Esterházy, who died shortly after Haydn began work.
Paul Anton was succeeded by Nikolaus (called the “Magnificent”), who was (like
his predecessor) a great lover of music. Until he died in 1790, Prince Nikolaus
was Haydn’s patron and lord. Haydn’s tenure as Kapellmeister of the Esterházy
household gave him remarkable security and regularity, in addition to providing
a first-class orchestra for which Haydn wrote many of his great symphonic
works. During his time at the Esterháza palace, Haydn’s fame had spread
throughout the world and many of his works, particularly the symphonies, became
immensely popular.

The fact always remained, however,
that Haydn was directly under Nikolaus’ control, and he began to yearn for a
life outside of the Esterházy court. Because of his duties at the court, Haydn
could not effectively capitalize on his fame. In 1779, Haydn gained the
publishing rights to his compositions (they were previously owned by Prince
Nikolaus). He wanted to expand his range of compositions to find audiences far
outside of Esterháza.[1]
Many of his compositions from the 1780s were written for publishers in Vienna, Paris
or London.[2]
This ensured a wider audience for Haydn’s music, which only increased his
international fame. Unfortunately, all of these “outside” commissions in
addition to his duties at Nikolaus’ court made it very hard for Haydn to
balance his massive amount of work (resulting in rather shady business
practices with some publishers). Furthermore, Nikolaus required that Haydn
compose, conduct, and prepare many operas at the Esterháza palace during the
early 1780s, which took a good deal of Haydn’s time and energy.[3]
Some critics consider many of the Symphonies from this era (particularly those
numbered 60-80) to be less profound and musically challenging, although they
are certainly enjoyable and wittingly composed.

[1]
Jens Peter Larsen, The New Grove Haydn (New York: W. W. Norton, 1983)
43.

This trend changed when Haydn received a very
lucrative and significant commission from the Concert de la Loge Olympique in Paris
for six new symphonies in 1784-5.[4]
These symphonies, called the “Paris Symphonies,” reached extraordinary musical
depths for Haydn while securing his status as one of the most important
composers in the Western world. His status and fame caused him to stray
considerably more from the Esterháza estate, and Haydn often stayed in Vienna
for extended periods. He developed friendships with Mozart and other Viennese
composers and had a close relationship with the Viennese noble Marianne von Genzinger.
His trips away from Esterháza allowed Haydn to see a warm lifestyle quite
unlike his own as a servant of Prince Nikolaus. Nikolaus never treated Haydn
poorly; on the contrary, Nikolaus greatly respected Haydn’s work. However,
Haydn’s imagination and creativity needed an outlet beyond the bounds of a
single household’s court. When Prince Nikolaus died in 1790, his successor
Prince Anton (who did not share Nikolaus’ love of music) disbanded the court
orchestra and retained only the title and salary of Haydn’s Kapellmeister
position. Haydn was at last free to travel as he wished.

Almost immediately, the German-born violinist J.
P. Salomon offered Haydn a contract to compose an opera, six symphonies, and 20
other pieces in London with excellent pay.[5]
Haydn accepted and traveled to London with Salomon, reaching London in 1791.
The incredible new sights, sounds, and adventures that Haydn experienced during
his residency in London inspired him musically and jolted him out of the
melancholic feelings of his last years under Prince Nikolaus. Haydn himself
wrote to Marianne von Genzinger that he was “occupied in looking at this mighty
and vast town of London, its various beauties and marvels causing me the most
profound astonishment.”[6]
According to Karl Geiringer, Haydn was “filled with insatiable curiosity
regarding all aspects of English life.”[7]
Haydn’s diary is filled with accounts of his interest in the great size and
bustling nature of the immense city of London. At the same time, people across England
were likewise fascinated with Haydn. He also wrote to Marianne von Genzinger
that, “Everyone wants to know me. I had to dine out six times up to now, and if
I wanted, I could have an invitation every day.”[8]
He enjoyed tremendous popularity during his stay there, and the English
newspapers constantly praised the concerts that Salomon presented of Haydn’s
music. The symphonies premiered during this visit to London were Nos. 93-98.
They reach an even higher echelon of symphonic music, with a brilliant balance
of rhythm, melody, and excitement. According to reviews and reports of the
Salomon-sponsored concerts, Haydn’s compositions were immense successes with
the English public.[9]

Haydn returned to Vienna in 1792, where he found
that Mozart had died. This greatly saddened him, but he took comfort in his
close friendship with Marianne von Genzinger. The many deeply emotional letters
Haydn wrote to Mme. Genzinger throughout their friendship have helped scholars
learn about Haydn’s life and feelings. It was through their correspondence that
many of Haydn’s experiences abroad in London were discovered. After Haydn
returned from England, a young Ludwig van Beethoven came to study with him in Vienna,
although Beethoven and Haydn did not get along very well. By the summer of
1793, however, Haydn and Salomon had reached a new contract for a trip to London
that included another commission for a set of six symphonies. It was in the
following year, after Haydn set off for London, that the Symphony No. 102 was
composed.[10]
London, being a very large and musical city, was filled with great musicians,
many of whom were contracted to perform at the Salomon concerts. These
musicians (who appeared as soloists) included the violinist Viotti, the harmonica
virtuoso Marianne Kirchgaessner, and the bassist Dragonetti. The large
orchestra that premiered the London Symphonies of Haydn was also reported to be
of excellent quality. The symphonies premiered on this trip are the last six
that Haydn wrote: Nos. 99-104. Once again, the concerts were tremendous
successes, according to newspaper reports. title="">[11]
The concert on which the Symphony No. 102 was premiered took place on February 2, 1797. It included performances of works by Cimarosa, Devienne, and Dussek in
addition to the Haydn premiere.[12]

It seems that on this second trip
to London, Haydn was kept very busy attending various social events,
particularly those hosted by royalty. Haydn performed on concerts for the Duke
of York, Prince of Wales, and King George III. Haydn lived a special,
high-energy, almost fantastical life in London. He absorbed the great
exuberance of the English capital and translated its liveliness into his last
London Symphonies, including No. 102. It was this charmed life, coupled with
his own naturally inextinguishable personality that gave Haydn’s London
Symphonies their wonderful brilliant energy.

II. A Musical Guide to Symphony No. 102 of Joseph Haydn

Haydn’s Symphony No. 102 is certainly one
of the most thrilling of Haydn’s symphonies to listen to, especially the
boisterous and driving first movement, but like all of the last six London
Symphonies, the movement begins with a slow introduction. However, the
thrilling effect of listening to this movement actually begins with the opening
unison tutti B-flat. In addition to being a kind of building block
throughout the movement (a unison tutti note also brings in the Second
Theme of the Exposition), this unison starts piano and the crescendos
followed by a diminuendo, particularly brought out by a timpani
roll. This simple gesture effectively draws any listener’s ear in, to prepare
the first true motivic uttering in the violin. The motive begins with a rising
fourth, which is a significant interval throughout the movement:

This theme returns in the celli in Measure 10 just as the
violins are finishing off their own phrase, although by Haydn’s skill, they
blend imperceptibly.

After a delicate flute V⁷
arpeggio, the violins play the Primary Theme of the exposition, beginning with
a rising fourth like the introduction:

This driving theme is almost overflowing with
energy. H. C. Robbins Landon calls this symphony “Haydn’s loudest and most
aggressive,” and this theme certainly exemplifies this statement.[13]
The  harmonic progression
of the opening three chords is quite significant, because that is also the
opening harmonic statement in the Menuetto and the Finale.

As the First Movement continues, Haydn constantly
plays with articulation and accents. At Measure 39, for example, sforzandi
are pounded into our ears on Beat 1 of each bar, but just ten bars later at Measure
49, we have three measures of sforzandi on Beat 4. In the next section
(starting at Measure 56), the winds and strings play contrasting sforzando passages,
creating an immense buildup of tension. Particularly surprising is the unison
woodwind C in Measure 60. Following are the string and woodwind parts of
Measures 57-60:

At Measure 72, Haydn presents a Transitional
Theme that is simply the opening violin motive from the introduction in eight-notes
at Allegro vivace tempo. This serves as a transition to the Second Theme
of the First Movement, which occurs at Measure 81. Geiringer calls this theme
“one of the most revolutionary ideas Haydn ever had.”[14]
As mentioned before, it begins with a fortissimo unison outburst, similar
to the opening of the movement. However, here it brings a new meaning to the
unison. Instead of tempting our ears (like the unison of the introduction),
this unison stops the time of the movement with a one-measure Grand Pause. The
silence is not of the lightweight variety; rather it changes the entire
character of the following measures. These measures introduce a piano melody,
which is one of only a few soft sections in the Exposition.

The beginning of the Development sets up a tremendous
contrast between the Primary and Secondary Themes of the First Movement. We
hear the Secondary Theme in c minor at Measure 111 quickly followed by the
Primary Theme in E-flat Major at Measure 117. It is interesting to note that
this movement has a very marked difference in its two main themes, unlike many
of Haydn’s more monothematic first movements. This provides the movement with
the ability to express musical tension both in terms of an unrestrained, dazzling
First Theme, and in a quiet, whisper-like Second theme.

In the following sections of the
Development, Haydn brilliantly brings several different emotions to the
originally mysterious Secondary Theme. For example, in Measure 132, we hear the
theme in an almost child-like or fair-music setting, but only for a moment. It
quickly passes, but again sounds playful in Measure 143. At Measure 146, the
Secondary Theme sounds sadder, as a legato oboe solo is heard. However,
we soon come to a harsh and insistent canon section. The canon is based on an
innocent cello line that we heard back at Measure 56:

After the canon fades away, there is a Grand
Pause (at Measure 184) followed by a statement of the Primary Theme in the
Flute. However, this restatement is in the key of C Major, presenting a somewhat
gentle quality to the originally driving Primary Theme before a powerful c
minor tutti outburst at Measure 192. This restatement is also
interesting because when the Recapitulation actually does occur at Measure 226,
Haydn leaves out the piano repeat of the opening motive found in the
exposition at Measure 30. It is as if Haydn wants to get the piano
statement of the theme out of the way here so he can go, as Landon says, “in
one unbroken forte wave to the gates of the second subject.”[15]
The buildup to the Recapitulation is perhaps the most exciting part of the
movement. It is preceded by six measures of a V⁷ chord with a
timpani roll on F. In the last two bars before the Recapitulation, the timpani crescendos
to fortissimo and we return to the Primary Theme. At Measure 286 the
flute and the violins attempt to play the theme one more time. After two
stutters, the Primary Theme begins, but fizzles out into a repeated diminished
7^th chord with a poco ritardando at Measure 296. With one
final fortissimo outburst generated by the violas, celli, basses, and
bassoons, the movement ends as the timpani plays the following figure at Measure
306:

Both this timpani theme and the stuttering in the flute and
violins are important because they will return in the last movement of the
symphony.

After such an exuberant movement, Haydn presents
us with a very slow movement that nonetheless is brimming with harmonic
tension. From the very opening theme in the violins, the feeling is not
relaxed, but suspended. If one looks at the way in which the melody is
articulated, one can see several cells grouped with slurs:

When played with the proper inflections, the melody has a
spoken, earnest character, and does not simply float past. The many
articulation markings found throughout this movement support a performance of
the Adagio in such a manner. If all of the articulations are carefully regarded
and thought-out, the melodies can truly grab the listener’s ear.

In this movement one can see
Haydn’s genius in the art of texture and orchestration. In addition to a
diverse range of inflection, Haydn calls for instrumental effects such as muted
trumpet and muted timpani in the Adagio. These eerie effects, coupled with
several solo cello passages, create a wonderfully distant and, as A. Peter
Brown calls it, “mournful sound.”[16]

The Second Movement has a unique format. It is
not a true theme and variations, but rather a 16-bar melodic guideline that is
repeated with variations four times. The first presentation of the melody
occurs in the strings alone, and then is joined by the woodwinds. The second
presentation is also 16 bars, and includes strings, winds, and now the brass
and timpani. Both of these 16-bar groups start in F Major and end up in V, or C
Major. The third presentation, however, is in A-flat Major and lasts only 9
bars. This section is a kind of development for the movement. The final
presentation returns to F Major and lasts 16 bars, but includes a coda that
contains an unexpected fortissimo section.

There are two rhythmic forces at play in the
Second Movement. One is the beautiful, long, reaching melody over a very slow 3
beats per bar. The other element is the division of 6 pulses per beat:

This motive, often found in the muted timpani, the muted
trumpets, the horns, and in string arpeggios, gives the melody a darker,
more mysterious quality.

The harmonic language in this movement is quite
chromatic and advanced for the Classical Period. Particularly striking is the
introduction of an E-flat in Measure 3 in the 1^st Violins. This
chromatic vein continues in Measure 5, beat 2 with an augmented triad acting as
an applied dominant to ii (g minor). The next surprise is the transition to Measure
9. Here is a harmonic breakdown:

Haydn does not prepare this modulation to c minor in Measure
9. Instead, the listener simply finds that the music took a rather unexpected melancholic
path. This mood continues into Measure 10, where the flute and 1^st
violins wander off into the distance with a c minor arpeggio with a diminuendo.
When this c minor interlude recurs during the second presentation of the melody
at Measure 26, the arpeggio is echoed by the first clear appearance of
the muted trumpets. This is an unusual sound in the orchestra, particularly in
slow movements. Haydn uses their threatening and sinister sound to the greatest
possible effect by having them play the sextuplet figure shown on Page 11
starting at piano followed by a crescendo.

Another effect that Haydn uses wonderfully is
that of silence. Haydn was a master of using silence to create a desired
feeling. Between every presentation of the Second Movement melody (except for
the transition between the third and fourth cycle) there is a beat and a half
of rest. According to Landon, Haydn originally planned for bassoons and horns
to play during that time, but later substituted silence instead.[17]
However, the transition from the A-flat Major presentation of the melody to the
fourth (and final) section has one of the most chromatically involved moments
in the symphony (in place of silence). This transition occurs at Measure 44:

After this extraordinarily powerful measure, the Second Movement
theme returns in F Major, but a fortissimo D-flat Major chord (bVI) is sounded in sextuplet
repetition at Measure 54, which prevents the movement from coming to a close.
Soon after, we are once again startled harmonically: we land on a
second-inversion F Major chord (part of a cadential ) while a
muted trumpet holds a C after the rest of the orchestra cuts off (Measure 66).
After this frightening trumpet noise, we quietly reach the end of the last cycle
of the Second Movement theme. The end is marked sempre più piano and
concludes with a glowing F Major chord.

The Third Movement is a very energetic, amiable
dance. Interestingly, however, the movement begins with the same flourish as
the Second Movement:

Of course, this is a perfectly normal Classical Period
gesture. What makes this inter-movement connection significant is the almost
obsessive nature the three grace notes assume as they are repeated numerous
times throughout both the Adagio and the Menuetto.

The opening theme of the Third
Movement also begins with a fourth, like the introduction to the First Movement
and the Primary Theme of the First Movement’s Exposition. Another interesting
inter-movement relationship is that the  harmonic progression
of the first bar of the Exposition of the First movement occurs as the first
harmonic progression in the Menuetto (between Measures 3 and 4).

This movement has two particularly
defining characteristics. One is that nearly every line is doubled at the third
or sixth by another voice, creating a very warm, buoyant sound. Another
important trait of this movement is the descending (or ascending) melodic
third, for example in Measures 4-5:

Of note is a wonderfully cute and symmetrical section at Measure
34 (the reprise of the theme) where the strings rise in a B-flat Major arpeggio
and the winds descend in an arpeggio at the same time. This leads to the
Trio, where we find a kind of slow, pastoral dance characterized by accented
lower neighbor tones with sforzandi. In the middle of this dance, the
flute seems to have left a bit of the descending third motive from the Menuetto
behind (Measures 74, 81, etc)!

At last we come to the quick-footed and
insatiably energetic Finale. The Finale is a Presto rondo that is filled
with a light, brisk, dancing quality from start to finish. A. Peter Brown is
entirely accurate when he claims, “What generates the movement both musically
and psychologically is the pair of sixteenth note pickups and the downbeat that
follows.”[18]
Here is the motive that starts the Finale:

This opening motive of two pickup notes to one downbeat is
reminiscent of the Primary Theme of the First Movement. Indeed, the Finale and
First Movement share several traits. For example, as was previously mentioned, both
the First Movement and the Finale begin with the harmonic progression .
However, the theme of the Finale quickly strays from the home key of B-flat
Major as it hints at both A Major and d minor in the opening 12 bars alone.
This quick-paced but eloquent harmony makes the opening of the Finale
especially alluring, perhaps having contributed to its consistent popularity
since its premiere.

Immediately the insistence of the double-pickup
figure is present; the entire opening section (Measures 1-38) is completely
based on the motive. We then enter a Transitional section at Measure 39, which
takes us to the “B” section at Measure 79. While the Transitional section had
constant sforzandi on the second beat of each bar, the “B” section begins
with a big jump directly on the downbeat. Also, the “B” section is in F Major;
the underlying chord in the following example is a V⁷of F Major, or
a C dominant 7^th:

The Finale eventually makes its way back to the main
theme at Measure 129, but not before the music encounters what Landon calls a
“hiccup” in the violin line at Measure 126, which leads seamlessly to the
second statement of the theme.[19]
During this restatement, the timpani joins the woodwinds in a repeated
utterance of the two-note pickup motive, so the rhythm looks like this (Measure
141):

This is commonly known as Haydn’s musical “fingerprint,” and
it comes throughout the Finale in various guises several times.

In Measure 167 we are plunged directly into the
“C” section with a sudden fortissimo outburst in b-flat minor. Sir
Donald Francis Tovey wrote, “The finale begins with one of Haydn’s best themes
of the kittenish type,” but went on to say, “Young tigers are also very
charming as kittens, and this finale has powerful muscles with which to make
its spring.”[20]
The sudden minor “C” section is an example of a spring in the Finale. After
journeying through a fugato section starting at Measure 186 and passing through
another seamless transition based on the two-note pickup motive, we arrive at the
main Finale theme once more in Measure 215. This time, however, it is
interrupted in Measure 223 by a descending diminished flute and oboe line, but
the music quickly finds the “B” theme once more at Measure 235.

At Measure 262, the music tries to find its way
back to the theme, but seems to stutter repeatedly, just as the First Movement
Theme did as the movement reached the ending. The music almost comes to a
standstill with the following violin line at Measure 272:

This outline of a B-flat Major chord and then and augmented
chord going to g minor is exactly the same progression played by the celli in
Measure 5 of the Second Movement! After this bizarre remembrance, the orchestra
plays an almost haunting descending line at Measure 287, first fortissimo and
then repeated piano. Immediately afterward, however, the music finds its
way to a playful B-flat Major ending, filled with all of the charm, dance, and
energy that Haydn can muster.

Joseph Haydn was a man who had such wonderful
life, happiness, and wit in his soul. It is extraordinary that he wrote music
that so fully expressed this love of life, and the Symphony No. 102 is
brilliant example of the amount of energy and spirit that can possibly fit
inside a single orchestral work.

Works Cited

Books

Brown, A. Peter. The
Symphonic Repertoire, Vol. II. Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Press, 2002.

Geiringer, Karl. Haydn:
A Creative Life in Music. New York: W. W. Norton Press, 1946.

Landon, H. C.
Robbins. Haydn: Chronicle and Works, Vol. III. Bloomington: Indiana Univ.
Press, 1976.

Larsen, Jens
Peter. The New Grove Haydn. New York: W. W. Norton, 1983.

Tovey, Donald
Francis. Essays in Musical Analysis, Vol. I. London: Oxford Univ. Press,
1962.

Music
Publications

Score

Haydn, Joseph.
Symphony No. 102 in B-flat Major. London Symphonies Nos. 99-104 in
Full Score. Mineola, NY: Dover, 1999.

Recording

Haydn, Joseph. Symphony
No. 102 in B-flat Major. The London Symphonies, Vol. I. Royal
Concertgebouw Orchestra. Cond. Colin Davis. Phillips, 1979.