Symphony No. 15 (Haydn)

Joseph Haydn
This article is about the symphony by Joseph Haydn. For the symphony by Michael Haydn, see Symphony No. 15 (Michael Haydn).

Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 15 in D major, Hoboken I/15, may have been written between 1760 and 1763.[1]

It is scored for 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 horns, strings and continuo, with a solo for 2 violas or cello in the trio of the minuet.[2] This symphony has four movements:

  1. Adagio, 3
    4     – Presto, 4
    4     – Adagio, 3
    4
  2. Menuet e Trio, with the Trio in G major, both 3
    4
  3. Andante in G major, 2
    4
  4. Presto, 3
    8

The opening movement is more similar to a baroque overture than sonata form though the movement still eludes either of these forms and has a unique character of its own. The movement begins with a light adagio with the first violins alternating with two horns while the rest of the string section accompanies in pizzicato. The Presto has two themes with distinct bridges between themes; however, it is difficult to define which section is the exposition, development and recapitulation, if in fact there even are such sections. The movement finishes with a modified version of the Adagio at the beginning of the movement.[3]

The work is one of the few symphonies of the Classical era to place the Minuet second (others include Haydn's 44th and "B" as well as his brother Michael's 15th and 16th). The G major trio was likely played as a quintet focusing on a dialog between violin I/violin II and viola/cello played over a bass.[3]

The slow movement is for strings and has one principal theme with several bridge motifs.

The final movement is a dance-like presto in ABA form.

  1. ^ H. C. Robbins Landon, The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. London: Universal Edition & Rockliff (1955): 637
  2. ^ Landon (1955): 637. "2 ob., 2 cor., str. with 2 violas or solo vcl. in trio [ fag., cemb. ]"
  3. ^ a b A. Peter Brown, The Symphonic Repertoire, Volume 2 (Bloomington and London: Indiana University Press, 2002): 77–78. ISBN 025333487X.