Symphony No. 1 (Haydn)

Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 1 in D major, Hoboken I/1, was written in 1759 in Lukaveč. [H. C. Robbins Landon, "The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn". London: Universal Edition & Rockliff (1955): 615] Though identified by Haydn himself as his first symphony, scholars aren't sure if it is indeed the very first symphony Haydn wrote, or if it's even the earliest he wrote of the ones that have survived to posterity. [Antony Hodgson, "The Music of Joseph Haydn: The Symphonies". London: The Tantivy Press (1976): 46. "Scholarly research cannot tell which was the very first symphony penned by Joseph Haydn ... To remain perplexed about this small but interesting point would be to ignore no less than the composer himself."] In contrast to the certainty that No. 1 was written in 1759, H. C. Robbins Landon can't rule out either No. 2 [Landon (1955): 616. "c". 1757-61 (?)"] or No. 4 [Landon (1955): 620. "c". 1757-61 (?)"] (or both) could have been composed in 1757 or 1758.

Symphony No. 1 is scored for 2 oboes (or possibly flute), bassoon, 2 horns, strings and continuo. [(Landon, 1955): 615. "2 ob. (or fl. ?), 2 cor., str., [ fag., cemb. ] "] Like many of the earliest symphonies by Haydn and his contemporaries, it is in three movements:

* I. Presto
* II. Andante in G major, 2/4
* III. Presto, 3/8

The first movement opens with a Mannheim cresecendo which is in contrast to the rest of the symphony, which is more Austrian in character.HC Robbins Landon, Haydn: Chronicle and Works, 5 vols, (Bloomington and London: Indiana University Press, 1976-) v. 1, Haydn: the Early Years, 1732-1765]

The first movement has "frequent passages where" the violas are "used with some ingenuity and quite separately from the bass line." [(Landon, 1955): 203]

Discography

Symphony No. 1 is available on a CD with No.s 2 - 5 performed by the Sinfonia Finlandia conducted by Patrick Gallois on Naxos Records. It is also coupled with No.s 2 - 5 on a recording featuring the Hanover Band conducted by Roy Goodman on Helios Records. It is also been released in larger box sets such as Adrian Shepherd's set with Cantilena of No.s 1 - 12 on Chandos Records or Christopher Hogwood's set with No.s 2, 4, 5, 10, 11, 18, 27, 32, 37, and 107 ("A") with the Academy of Ancient Music. Of course, it is also included in the complete sets of all the symphonies by Adam Fischer with the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra and Antal Doráti with the Philharmonia Hungarica.

References