# Looking For Haydn Soft and Slow movements



## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

I'm mixing some CDs of classical music with soft and preferably slow movements. I'm using them to help me sleep in the afternoon and at night. I've made 11 so far and it's working great. 

Music must be soft or it will wake me up, so it can't include many codas. Although, it can have a few because I have the ability to record them out, but too many becomes too much trouble.

It should be slow, andante or less, but it doesn't have to be, however, movements faster than that usually have loud parts. 

I'm focusing on Haydn at this point. So far I have the following movements from his symphonies:

32, 3rd movement
33, 2nd movement
34, 1st movement

I'm also using the second movement of his Trumpet concerto and String quartet No. 62 Op. 76.

Any other Haydn suggestions?


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Not 94  

Have you considered the piano trios?


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

jegreenwood said:


> Not 94
> 
> Have you considered the piano trios?


It's been harder to find piano works that fit my criteria. The piano is a more piercing instrument than a string instrument or Oboe or flute. Just on 1/2 second bang on the piano will wake me up.

But I did just find Haydn's trio No 9 first movement. Except for one bang at the 4:32 mark (which I cut out) , it seems to work. Thanks


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## JayBee (Apr 14, 2018)

Second and/or third movements from many of his string quartets would probably work for you. Just going through his Opus 20 and 33 quartets right now. All I have time to do right now, I'm afraid, but I think there's a good chance you'll find other movements in most of the other opus numbers.

Opus 20:
No.1: third movement
No.3: third movement
No.4: second movement
No.5: third movement
No.6: second movement

Opus 33:
No.3: second and third movements
No. 4: third movement
No.6: second movement


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Haydn certainly wrote a lot of slow movements. But why go through all the bother? Why not just pick up a copy of the 5-disc set of the Flux Quartet playing Morton Feldman's String Quartet No. 2? _That_ should put you to sleep quite well.

















For my tastes, Haydn remains music to hear when one is awake and plans to stay that way.

I recall some years back a television host interviewing a pop pianist and remarking something to the effect: "I just love your music. It's so relaxing. I put it on when I want to fall asleep." The facial expression of the pianist at that moment was precious. Is that really what even _his_ brand of music was all about?

Thank you, Papa Haydn, for the _Surprise_ Symphony. Shame on all of you who were caught napping at the moment of that sublime orchestral *ff*.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

JayBee said:


> Second and/or third movements from many of his string quartets would probably work for you. Just going through his Opus 20 and 33 quartets right now. All I have time to do right now, I'm afraid, but I think there's a good chance you'll find other movements in most of the other opus numbers.
> 
> Opus 20:
> No.1: third movement
> ...


Thanks Jaybee , but I'm looking for Haydn orchestral movements that fit my criteria, which is why I posted in the Orchestral Music sub-forum.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Pyotr said:


> It's been harder to find piano works that fit my criteria. The piano is a more piercing instrument than a string instrument or Oboe or flute. Just on 1/2 second bang on the piano will wake me up.
> 
> But I did just find Haydn's trio No 9 first movement. Except for one bang at the 4:32 mark (which I cut out) , it seems to work. Thanks


I have the Beaux Arts Trio cycle. I certainly don't have all of the slow movements memorized, but the first trio in the box set is No. 37, and it begins with a lovely slow movement. It rises gently to a forte at one point, but otherwise is soft throughout.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

SYMPHONY 102 - 2nd movement


Also, when you get around to Mozart, the Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet have gorgeous 2nd movements.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

Olias said:


> SYMPHONY 102 - 2nd movement
> 
> Also, when you get around to Mozart, the Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet have gorgeous 2nd movements.


Thanks Olias, that's a fantastic movement.

yea, those two Mozart 2nd movements are already on my CDs.


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## Bill H. (Dec 23, 2010)

For the earliest symphonies, you might want to check out the slow movements from his early trilogy, Nos. 6-8 (Le Matin, Le Midi, Le Soir). These have some lovely solos for cello, which figure in some of the other early symphonies (perhaps written for the same cellist at Esterhazy for whom FJH wrote his Cello Concerti?). 

There are some others with his trademark "walking andante" style, some with variations on a theme, and there's some within his "Stürm und Drang" period that may also be of interest.


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

Apart from Haydn's symphonies, I'd suggest that you explore his Divertimenti, 8 Notturni, 6 Scherzandi, Baryton octets, and lira concertos, in the following box set and single CD recording (although for your purposes, you may want to search out non-period instrument recordings of these works, since not everyone responds favorably to the sounds of historical instruments, which aren't as lush sounding as modern strings, for example):

https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Music-Prince-Esterhazy-Naples/dp/B001PBCZL0
https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Music-Prince-Esterhazy-Naples/dp/B019GLP6ZC
https://www.allmusic.com/album/haydn-music-for-prince-esterházy-and-the-king-of-naples-mw0001407511

https://www.amazon.com/4-Divertimen...ertimenti+linde&qid=1577393629&s=music&sr=1-1

I find that the above works are some of Haydn's most relaxing music, so there will likely be slow movements that will suit for your purposes. But sorry, I can't be of any help in regards to recommending recordings that have been made on modern instruments (as I only own period recordings of this music).

(If you're looking for soft, meditative music, though not of the classical period, you might find that the music of French composer Charles Koechlin works well, too. It does for me--here, for example:













)


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

Josquin13 said:


> Apart from Haydn's symphonies, I'd suggest that you explore his Divertimenti, 8 Notturni, 6 Scherzandi, Baryton octets, and lira concertos, in the following box set and single CD recording (although for your purposes, you may want to search out non-period instrument recordings of these works, since not everyone responds favorably to the sounds of historical instruments, which aren't as lush sounding as modern strings, for example):
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Music-Prince-Esterhazy-Naples/dp/B001PBCZL0
> https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Music-Prince-Esterhazy-Naples/dp/B019GLP6ZC
> ...


Thanks. Your first link (https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Music-P.../dp/B001PBCZL0 )opened up to the six cd set with eight Notturni, six Scherzandi, and seven Divertimenti, five lira concertos, and one quintetti, all on amazon Prime, which I have. They include 22 Adagio and six Andante movements. I either struck gold or died and went to heaven, I can't figure out which. The period instruments sound fine. I'm having fun figuring out which are the best.

The rest of the movements are wonderful too. I just listen to the slow movements during the period of somnolence that's experienced before sleep. I listen to the whole works otherwise. I can't understand why someone would get hysterical because I listen to some music different than they do, but I guess it takes all kinds.

I'm still trying to determine whether the other links contain music that's not in the first. Your third link ( https://www.allmusic.com/album/haydn...s-mw0001407511 ), to the AllMusic.com, is identical music as the first I believe. Your fourth link, to a single CD containing four Divertimenti is $25 new which is a little expensive these days, but there are used CDs for under $10, which I ordered.

The second link ( https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Music-P.../dp/B019GLP6ZC ) is to a product that's $102 new ($69 used). But it doesn't list the works it contains. There is no description but a reviewer states that it's a six CD box set. I'm thinking it's probably the works contained in link one and three.

After I get done with Haydn, I'm looking forward to the Koechlin works you mentioned.

Thanks again


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

Pyotr writes, "The second link ( https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-Music-P.../dp/B019GLP6ZC ) is to a product that's $102 new ($69 used). But it doesn't list the works it contains. There is no description but a reviewer states that it's a six CD box set. I'm thinking it's probably the works contained in link one and three."

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you. Sometimes I link to multiple listings of the same recording, so that people can read a valuable review, or find a better price, or an alternative remastering, etc. But I only recommended the two Haydn recordings to you: the first being the 6 CD BIS box set that you say you already have--via Amazon Prime--of Haydn's "eight Notturni, six Scherzandi, and seven Divertimenti, five lira concertos, and one quintetti", and the second, a single CD of selected Haydn Divertimenti, played by the Linde Consort, led by Hans-Martin Linde. There weren't any others. (Although if you like the BIS box set that much, you may also want to explore Haydn Sinfonietta Wien's complete recordings of Haydn's Early Divertimenti, which were likewise released in a 5 CD BIS box set: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Haydn+manfred+Huss+divertimenti+BIS&i=popular&ref=nb_sb_noss. But I don't think those recordings will work quite as well for your purposes, as I remember the performances are a bit more lively than the later works (... or maybe not?). Plus, the set may be out of print, as it looks pricey on Amazon...

But I'm pleased to hear that you "either struck gold or died and went to heaven" & totally agree, it's wonderful music!

As a heads up--if you do move on to the more tranquil, serene world of Charles Koechlin, you will likely have trouble locating the Christoph Keller/Ensemble Zurich performance of Koechlin's late chamber arrangement of his early piano work, Paysages et Marines (at a reasonable price, at least: https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Koechlin-Paysages-Clarinet-Ensemble/dp/B000004CBT). However, you can hear it via the You Tube link that I provided above. Otherwise, you'll have to do an extensive search for either the original out of print French Accord CD (which is what I just linked to), or the OOP Accord box set that contains all of Keller's fine Koechlin survey for that label. (If interested, it may be best to try Amazon France.) There are several fine recordings of the solo piano version of Paysages et Marines, by pianists Michael Korstick (my favorite), Christoph Keller, & others, but there have been only two recordings of the late chamber arrangement (which is one of my favorite French chamber works of the period), and the only available recording--by Ensembles Initium and Contraste--wouldn't be my 1st preference; in fact, I don't like it nearly as much as the Ensemble Zurich performance. Which is not to say that it's a bad performance, it's good, too: https://www.amazon.com/Koechlin-Wor...emble+contraste&qid=1578021010&s=music&sr=1-1

Here's a link to a review of the French Accord set that contains all of Keller's Koechlin survey: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/Jun06/Koechlin_chamber_465894.htm

P.S. Finally, one more recommendation comes to mind, which is off the beaten path, but is music that I find just as beautifully balanced and relaxing as certain works by Haydn & Koechlin--the instrumental Fantasies of the late French Renaissance composer, Eustache du Caurroy. Again, it's hard to find available recordings of these works, but Jordi Savall did record 33 of these Fantasies for Alia Vox, in 1982, and they are excellent performances: 



. Nikolaus Harnoncourt also recorded "Une jeune fillete", early in his career.

Hope that helps.


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