CLASSICAL MUSIC - HAYDN: PARIS SYMPHONY 85 AND 86

Roger Norrington conducts one of Europe’s leading chamber orchestras, the Camerata Academica Salzburg, in a performance of Haydn’s Symphonies No. 85 in Bflat ( the  queen) - a favourite of Marie Antoinette; and No. 86 in D major.

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). The 85th Symphony was completed in either 1785 or 1786. It made its way to America early on, at first through a keyboard arrangement such as one played by Nelly Custis at the White House. The nickname La Reine originated because the work was a favorite of Marie Antoinette, at the time Queen of France. It is the only one of the Paris symphonies whose nickname is of 18th century origin.

The symphony is in standard four movement form and is scored for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, and strings.

1. Adagio-Vivace
2. Romance: Allegretto
3. Menuetto: Allegretto
4. Finale: Presto

The first movement contains a reference to Symphony No. 45. 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'.

The Symphony No. 86 in D major, Hoboken I/86, is the fifth of the so-called six Paris Symphonies (numbers 82 - 87) written by Joseph Haydn. The work is in standard four movement form and scored for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two trumpets, two horns, timpani and strings (violin I, violin II, viola, cello, double bass). Out of the six Paris symphonies, the 86th and 82nd are the only two to use percussion and trumpets. There are four movements:

1. Adagio, 3/4 – Allegro spiritoso, 4/4
2. Capriccio: Largo, 3/4 in G major
3. Menuetto: Allegretto, 3/4
4. Finale: Allegro con spirito, 4/4

The first movement is in sonata form and is broadly conceived. An unusual feature is that the primary theme of the exposition begins "off-tonic" and does not resolve to the D major until five bars in. Similarly the secondary theme group also delays establishment of the dominant key.

The slow movement's "Capriccio" marking is used only one other time in Haydn's symphonic output; in the finale of the "A" version of the 53rd symphony.

The sonata-form finale is characterized by themes contain the rhythmic motif of five eighth-notes leading into the next bar. In most cases, these five notes are also repeated and staccato.

Source: Wikipedia (the free online encyclopaedia)