Joseph Haydn - Symphony No. 59 in A major "Fire" (Harnoncourt)

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Symphony No. 59 in A major "Fire", Hob. I:59 (before 1769) 00:00 - Presto 06:21 - Andante o più tosto Allegretto 13:06 - Menuet & Trio 17:12 - Allegro assai Concentus Musicus Wien, dir. Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1994) "Whatever its precise origin, [the Symphony No. 59] is a highly original and theatrical piece. The acceleration, in the first movement (Presto), from quavers to semiquavers in the main theme (the violins hammering out the note 'A' repeatedly); the sudden shifts from 'piano' to 'forte'; the tremendous rhythmic intensity -- it all seems to suggest music for the stage. The second movement is equally original. It begins for strings alone, in A minor, and is marked by Haydn's characteristic tempo, Andante o più tosto Allegretto. It is a spiky, asymmetrical theme which suddenly swerves into C major (the relative major) and a lovely, singing melody almost like an aria from an Italian opera. In the second part we modulate slowly back to a long pedal point on the dominant (E) -- and the music abruptly switches to A major and the beautiful cantabile theme we noticed before when it was in C major. Up to now it has seemed that this will be another of Haydn's slow movements for strings alone; but with the advent of A major, the wind instruments join us. It is a lovely effect. But what are we to make of that shattering 'ff' horn call that interrupts the main theme? It would be pleasant to imagine that it is related to the military atmosphere of Grossman's 'Die Feuersbrunst' (1773), but we must remind ourselves that there are at least two known manuscript sources of the Symphony dated 1769! The main theme of the Menuetto is very strongly related to the principal theme of the slow movement, another instance of Haydn's constant attempt to weld the symphonic form into a cohesive whole. The Finale (Allegro assai), with its rousing horn and oboe fanfares, and its racing strings, was bound to be a success. It is one of those Haydnesque movements that contemporary British critics used to call 'phrenzied'; and it is also a very theatrical movement." - H. Robbins Landon Painting: Stormy Sea, Marcus Larson