Your Favorite Haydn Symphonies

Started by Dave B, January 15, 2025, 07:32:47 PM

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Dave B

Not only your personal favorites but also those most popular among listeners generally.

Karl Henning

Interestingly, I've heard No. 22, "The Philosopher" twice at Symphony.  That's the one with the unique scoring of pairs of Horns and Cors anglais.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Dave B

My limited research is showing me that a tremendous number of his symphonies are "favorites", so let's limit it to 5 or 6 of your favorites or favorites of listeners generally.

Daverz

Choosing at random works for me.

Karl Henning

Quote from: Daverz on January 15, 2025, 08:25:40 PMChoosing at random works for me.
I'll marshal my thoughts and chime in tomorrow. 
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Dave B

Whatever anyone is willing to recommend.

Florestan

88
Maria Theresia
La Roxelane
La reine
95
"Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory." — Thomas Beecham

Wanderer

They're all favourites, but my desert-island-favourite is No. 94.

hopefullytrusting

Haydn is one of the few composers I would suggest starting with Symphony No. 1 and following on from there. His first symphony is tremendous - it is airy, light - danceable, and is a work, in my opinion, in perfect balance.

I prefer HIP with Haydn, so my recommendation is Hogwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgSxe3-OXF4, but I don't think you can really go wrong with Haydn.

Even I, an arch-avant gardist, will wholly admit, honestly and openly, that I think if we only had Haydn - that would be enough (sort of like Plato in Western philosophy).

Irons

For the ability to surprise (no, not that one :D ) No.31 "Horn Signal".
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Florestan

Quote from: hopefullytrusting on January 16, 2025, 12:34:45 AMHaydn is one of the few composers I would suggest starting with Symphony No. 1 and following on from there. His first symphony is tremendous - it is airy, light - danceable, and is a work, in my opinion, in perfect balance.

Amen!

(Mozart's Symphony No. 1 is not half-bad, either.)
"Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory." — Thomas Beecham

Wanderer

Quote from: Irons on January 16, 2025, 12:45:34 AMFor the ability to surprise (no, not that one :D ) No.31 "Horn Signal".

Personally, I chose that one not for the ability to surprise, but for the ability to delight.  :)

Florestan

Haydn both surprises and delights in much of his oeuvre.
"Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory." — Thomas Beecham

Jo498

The most popular ones are not hard to find, roughly the ones with nicknames (about 30 I think), I see no benefit in repeating them, so I will name 8 not that well known ones that are among my favorites

21 A major I like this better than the somewhat stiff #22
46 B major very witty with cyclical elements
70 D major actually mostly in d minor with a canonical andante and fugal finale
80 d minor a bizarre mix of stormy, almost romantic and humorous
86 D major not nicknamed but my favorite from the "Paris" set
90 C major great fun in the finale with a very special joke.
99 E flat major one of the most beautiful slow movements and a bubbling contrapuntal finale
102 B flat major maybe the most weighty, "Beethovenian" of all of them.

 
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

Mapman

Quote from: Irons on January 16, 2025, 12:45:34 AMFor the ability to surprise (no, not that one :D ) No.31 "Horn Signal".

The "Horn Signal" immediately came to mind for me as well. The final movement is almost like a Concerto for Orchestra!

Karl Henning

With the understanding that I lack the ambition to avoid duplication with my fellows here:

26 in d minor, "Lamentazione"
31 in D, "Hornsignal"
45 in b minor, "Farewell"
49 in f minor, "La Passione"
98 in B-flat, love the keyboard solo in the Finale
99 in E -flat, "The Cat," the first with clarinets, yes?

Fact is, the latest symphony I've listened to is apt to be my favorite.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Florestan

Quote from: Karl Henning on January 16, 2025, 10:29:39 AMFact is, the latest symphony I've listened to is apt to be my favorite.


Indeed.
"Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory." — Thomas Beecham

DavidW

Quote from: Karl Henning on January 15, 2025, 07:45:41 PMInterestingly, I've heard No. 22, "The Philosopher" twice at Symphony.  That's the one with the unique scoring of pairs of Horns and Cors anglais.

I've heard Haydn's 1st twice in concert!

DavidW

Any and all, they are highly consistent.

But short list off the top of my head: Farewell, Horn, Bear, Oxford

André

44, 49, 73, 82, 104

I could add 43, 45 and 59 and of course there's no weak link in the glorious Paris and London series. The ones above are those I never tire of listening to.