Symphony No. 85 (Haydn)

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Marie Antoinette, the queen for whom the 85th Symphony is nicknamed
Marie Antoinette, the queen for whom the 85th Symphony is nicknamed

The Symphony No. 85 in B flat major (Hoboken 1/85) is the fourth of the six "Paris" symphonies (numbers 82-87) written by Joseph Haydn. It is popularly known as La Reine (The Queen).

Contents

[edit] Date of composition and scoring

Main article: Paris symphonies

According to H. C. Robbins Landon[1], the 85th Symphony was completed in either 1785 or 1786. It is in standard four movement form and is scored for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, and strings.

[edit] Nickname (La Reine)

The nickname La Reine originated because the work was a favorite of Marie Antoinette, at the time Queen of France.[2] It is the only one of the Paris symphonies whose nickname is of 18th century origin[3].

[edit] Movements

The four movements are marked as follows:

The second movement is described by H. C. Robbins Landon as "a set of variations on the old French folk-song 'La gentille et jeune Lisette'[4]; see Haydn and folk music.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Robbins Landon 1963, xv
  2. ^ Steinberg (1995, 204)
  3. ^ Harrison, 101
  4. ^ Robbins Landon 1963, xvii

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Robbins Landon, H. C. (1963) Joseph Haydn: Critical Edition of the Complete Symphonies, Universal Edition, Vienna
  • Steinberg, Michael (1995) The Symphony: A Listeners Guide. Oxford University Press.
  • Harrison, Bernard Haydn: The "Paris" Symphonies (Cambridge University Press, 1998)
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