Symphony No. 7 C major [antikvár]

Editor's Note The autograph of the score is in the archives of Prince Esterházy. It is headed : Le Midi. In Nomine Domini. Giuseppe Haydn 761. At the conclusion is the remark : Laus Deo. During 1759 Haydn was appointed by Count Morzin Musical Director and Chamber-Composer at a salary of 200 Fl., with free lodging and board at the officials' table. In the same year Haydn wrote his first Symphony which,' despite its shortness, already shows striking clearness and assurance in its composition. Later Count Morzin was forced to disband his orchestra and in 1761 Haydn was appointed by Prince Esterházy as " Vice-Kapellmeister " at a salary of 400 Fl. per annum, with free board, or half a Fl. per day, and one uniform per annum. Evidently it was essential that Haydn should prove himself worthy of his new master's confidence. He therefore wrote in the year of his appointment a Symphony in five movements, to which he gave the name " Le Midi ". (Perhaps the Prince himself suggested a musical description of the four periods of the day, cf. the Symphonies " Le Matin" and " Le Soir "). July 1936. Their orchestration was more elaborate than usual, and foreign musicians were engaged for their performance. In the present work the most remarkable movement is the second, with a recitativo dramatically outlined and almost unrelated to its surrounding movements. It was subjected to various interpretations. Griesinger and Dies assert that Haydn spoke occasionally about symphonies in which he had described moral characters (fi. in the Adagio of his first symphony). He had the idea that God spoke to a hardened sinner and asked him to mend his ways. The sinner, however, in his levity would not listen to his exhortations. Haydn expressed the Goddess by Love and Goodness. In the following Adagio the artistic element is emphasised rather than the melodious. The engagement of the excellent violinist, Luigi Tomasini, quite likely encouraged Haydn to write grateful passages for him ; also for the cellist', Weigl, who was one of Haydn's intimate friends. The Finale displays the genuine Haydn as we know him in his later works. For the purposes of this edition comparison was made with the complete edition. Dr. Ernst Praetorius K.K. 3603