# In your(and my)opinion, best of the early Haydn symphonies, #s 1-around 40



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

So far, I've taken a liking to 1, 5, 16, 26(Lamentation), and 28 the most. However, I have not listened to 17-24 because my MP3 player mislabeled them when the CD ripped! I also kind of like 39(the fist). 

I'll have more to say about why I like these symphonies later. But don't just give me numbers here like I've done so far, tell us why you like those particular symphonies.


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## Nix (Feb 20, 2010)

My favorites are 22 and 11- particularly the 1st movement of the latter, though I haven't heard them all.


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

Off of the top of my head my favorites are #1, 11, 22, and 26. I went to a concert of Batiz performing Haydn's 1st symphony, and I loved it so much that it permanently elevated my appreciation of that symphony.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Hmmm, 11 and 22 have been mentioned twice. I'll have to check them out.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

From listening to 11 again, it sounds like 5 is very similar to it in structure with the first movement being slow.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

6 - 8, and 22 come to mind...haven't heard 'em all.


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## Bill H. (Dec 23, 2010)

Some of the early Esterhazy symphonies, including 6-8, 13 and others have a very special concertante feel to them. I think it's because Haydn was reveling in the quality of the instrumentalists in the Esterhazy orchestra, which was really a pretty small band. For that reason, I tend to prefer orchestras of a smaller scale playing these works, similar to what actually existed at Esterhazy (Hogwood's abortive cycle tried to do this, IIRC). If you listen to some, like #13, the slow movement has the feel of one of his cello concerti, because of the prominence of that instrument. 13 also has four horns in the mix, and the motif in the finale is VERY familiar (check out the Mozart "Jupiter" for a comparison). Another great symphony with four very verbal horns is #31, the "Hornsignal." It is stylistically very similar to #72, which was actually written about the same time....One thing to keep in mind is that the numbering especially of the early symphonies can be a little off, in that they are not necessarily numbered chronologically--the earlier Morzin symphonies can be mixed in with the Esterhazy ones and so forth.


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## Nix (Feb 20, 2010)

Bill H. said:


> Some of the early Esterhazy symphonies, including 6-8, 13 and others have a very special concertante feel to them. I think it's because Haydn was reveling in the quality of the instrumentalists in the Esterhazy orchestra, which was really a pretty small band.


Actually I read that Haydn was liberal with the amount of solo's he initially gave to curry favor with the players. When an instrumentalist was given a solo, they were paid extra for the solo, so Haydn was essentially giving his employees bonuses. Of course he also acted as concertmaster, so I wonder if he was also giving himself more money in doing so.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Number 31 - the "Hornsignal". Haydn apparently had four rally good hornists at the Esterhazy palace.


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## pjang23 (Oct 8, 2009)

I'm quite fond of No.44 "Trauer". A very romantic symphony.


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