# Haydn Symphony Series Part 8: 71-81



## Ramako

I apologise for the very long gap between this one and the previous one. I have been very busy, but also I have been unsure of how to proceed with the numbering, and I am very bad at decision-making . In the end I have decided to follow my second idea and the proceeding threads (which I will try to do in much closer succession) will cover the symphonies as follows (below this is the usual table with the Hoboken numberings etc. for these symphonies).

Part 8: 71-81 (this one)
Part 9: 82-87
Part 10: 88-92
Part 11: 93-98
Part 12: 99-104

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Hoboken NumberingOrder of compositionYear of composition71701778/177972301763737717817476178075731779768017827779178278781782798317848082178481811784

As we can see, by this stage, with the notable exception of 72, the Hoboken numbers and the currently believed order of composition tally much more closely together than in earlier symphonies.

http://www.haydn107.com/index.php?id=21&lng=2

Previous Haydn symphony threads: 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70


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## Ramako

Ok, I have to admit that by far my favourite of this set is

73, "La Chasse" - this symphony is the most famous of this set, and justifiably so. It's name comes from the last movement which is in the 'topic' of the hunt. This movement is very exciting, and indeed a very rousing finale to round the symphony off. However, it is easy to forget the previous movements this way, which I also think are part of the reason this one is so good. The first movement has some good passages in it; the second movement is very good - an excellent example of Haydn's evolving 'cheeky' slow movements, which find their most famous example in the Surprise symphony. Even the minuet has quite a good tune.

79 is my next favourite. It caught my interest for a few reasons. Foremost among these is the inexplicable fast section at the end of the second movement - which I thought was the last movement for some time. This is a very confusing structural move. Does the material have its roots in theatre music and Haydn was just being lazy, or is there another reason? The fast theme reminds me strongly of the theme to the first movement of symphony 39. In any case the other movements are fine too.

Others that caught my notice are 77 and 80. 77 seems generally quite good, while 80 caught my interest on account of the very strange pacing of the first movement. I hypothesise that it must be programmatic music, as some of the moves seem too odd on mere absolute grounds.

In the next thread we take a trip to Paris, and the stakes begin to rise


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## clavichorder

I don't know this set so well, so I can't comment. Another gap.


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## Arsakes

No.73 and 80.


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## Roi N

81 explores forbidden-like regions in a tonal manner. Shows that Haydn not only makes the rules, but breaks them as well. Great Symphony.


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## shangoyal

Just heard the #79 and it's fantastic.


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## Funny

Ramako said:


> 79 is my next favourite. It caught my interest for a few reasons. Foremost among these is the inexplicable fast section at the end of the second movement - which I thought was the last movement for some time. This is a very confusing structural move. Does the material have its roots in theatre music and Haydn was just being lazy, or is there another reason? The fast theme reminds me strongly of the theme to the first movement of symphony 39. In any case the other movements are fine too.
> 
> Others that caught my notice are 77 and 80. 77 seems generally quite good, while 80 caught my interest on account of the very strange pacing of the first movement. I hypothesise that it must be programmatic music, as some of the moves seem too odd on mere absolute grounds.


I've been caught off guard by that fast section in the 2nd movement of 79 more than once when I've had a disc with multiple symphonies playing and doing something else and I've heard that and thought, oh, we're in the finale of this one already? Did I miss the minuet?

As for the first movement of 80 being programmatic, certainly a possibility, but I think it works fine as two musical forces at opposite poles (pompous and bombastic vs. frivolous and folklike) slugging it out to establish the identity of the movement. And I believe the second one wins. 80 is also great for thematic continuity/evolution, as the 2 upbeats for the waltz theme are clearly and immediately echoed as 3 upbeats in the opening of the 2nd movement. Then that repeated 3-note pattern forms the basis for the (offbeat) opening theme of the 4th movement. Great stuff.


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## DebussyDoesDallas

The #75 La Chasse 4th mvt. is a rousing knockout and one of my favorites. But I'm casting my vote for what I believe to be one of Haydn's most underappreciated minor gems, #71, especially its 4th mvt, whose two themes rank among my favorite little ditties. Nothing deep or groundbreaking, but infectious and lovely fun, which describes much of #70-80.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

I like no. 70 for its fugal finale in the minor mode - a Strum und Drang number in the vein of Symphony No. 44's last movement. I also like the horns in the first movement of symphony no. 72 - some very catchy melodies. Symphonies no. 74-76 are also stellar in general, I especially like their outer movements. Also, the outer movements of symphony no. 71 are very good; the 4th movement has a very strong rhythmic drive. I think every Haydn symphony has something to offer, even the more unknown ones.


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## DebussyDoesDallas

I was just listening to the 1st mvt. of 80. The contrast of the stormy bombastic minor theme and dinky little major key theme is so funny, I'm sure intentionally humorous on his part.


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## Funny

77 has another great minuet joke where the theme seems to go into four. Unlike in 65, where the way he's doing it is obvious, here it's more subtle, and you're going along tapping your toes and as you approach the cadence you're like, wait, we're in four now? How long have we been in four? And then you listen to the consequent phrase and it doesn't do the cross-rhythm trick at all. But then the antecedent comes back and throws you off again. Great fun, and the rest of the symphony has many other nice bits as well.


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## Plato

Finale of 71 - what a pure pleasure! 73 is a symphony which I fell in love with as a child and it won't change  76 is another gem - what a surprise in the second movement which starts rather boring! 79 is very enjoyable and 80 includes some of Haydn's most inventive melodies.


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## Pugg

73 and 80 for me, wonderful music :tiphat:


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## Pesaro

My favorite symphony from this group is No. 81. There is a miraculous recording of it by Antal Dorati and the Festival Chamber Orchestra (a pseudonym for the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields). You can download it for free at Rediscovery.com. It also includes magnificent performances of Haydn 101 and Mozart 40, also by Dorati.


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## Brahmsian Colors

Ramako said:


> Ok, I have to admit that by far my favourite of this set is73, "La Chasse"


I agree entirely. For me, it's the easy winner. In fact, it's the only one of your above list I chose as a favorite. Of the others, I feel strongly only about the first movement _allegro con spirito _ of Symphony 79 and the second movement _adagio_ of Symphony 80.


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## T Son of Ander

72 & 73 are my favorites here, but I forgot to click 72 when I voted. I love the theme & variations finale in 72 (similar to 31) with all the solos (inccluding bass).

As for 73, all four movements are exceptional. I love the rhythmic structure of the first; good slow movement; really nice menuet (generally my least favorite movement); and a romp of a finale.


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## T Son of Ander

So I searched, but didn't find anything... did you guys continue these threads? If not, I like the idea of 82-87; 88-92; 93-98; and 99-104. I would be willing to start the next one if there is interest.


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## newyorkconversation

T Son of Ander said:


> So I searched, but didn't find anything... did you guys continue these threads? If not, I like the idea of 82-87; 88-92; 93-98; and 99-104. I would be willing to start the next one if there is interest.


I vote "yes" to this! Seems a shame not to have a finished series


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## T Son of Ander

Well, there's one vote  I would still be willing to continue, however, I will be traveling the next couple weeks. So I will get to it once I get back. I will try and listen up on the Paris symphonies while I'm on vacation.


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## Haydn man

T Son of Ander said:


> Well, there's one vote  I would still be willing to continue, however, I will be traveling the next couple weeks. So I will get to it once I get back. I will try and listen up on the Paris symphonies while I'm on vacation.


Just noticed this idea for a listening project for later Haydn Symphonies 
You can count me in


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