Symphony No. 104 (Haydn)

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The Symphony No. 104 in D major (Hoboken 1/104) is Joseph Haydn's final symphony. It is the last of the twelve so-called London Symphonies, and is known (somewhat arbitrarily, given the existence of eleven others) as the London Symphony.

The work was composed by Haydn while he was living in London in 1795, and premiered there at the King’s Theatre on May 4, 1795, in a concert consisting entirely of Haydn's own compositions and directed by the composer. [1] The premiere was a success; Haydn wrote in his diary "The whole company was thoroughly pleased and so was I. I made 4000 gulden on this evening: such a thing is possible only in England."

1 Scoring
2 Movements
- 2.1 First movement
- 2.2 Fourth movement
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Scoring

The work is for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings.

[edit] Movements

[edit] First movement

The symphony opens with a slow and grand introduction in D minor, the parallel minor of the tonic key, which leads to the first movement proper. This is in sonata form and starts in cut time. The movement is monothematic, meaning that it only has one theme since the second theme is actually the first theme in A Major. The exposition is in D Major, with the strings playing the first theme. The theme modulates to A Major with the woodwinds to form a second theme. The exposition closes with a codetta and is followed by the development which begins in B minor, using the rhythmic pattern of the second half of the theme. The development ends with the full orchestra. In the recapitulation, the first theme is heard again in D Major. It uses imitative patterns of the woodwinds in the second theme. The piece closes with a coda, also in D major.

[discussion of movements II and II to follow]

[edit] Fourth movement

The exuberant finale, in fast tempo and in sonata form, opens in the mode of folk music using a drone bass and a theme often claimed to have originated as a Croatian folk song; for details see Haydn and folk music.