Favorite Haydn Symphonies

[TheGSMoeller]

Gurn has changed it so changes in your votes are allowed. I may even take advantage of that 

[Ken B]

Well if there was any doubt my taste in Haydn is drearily conventional ... I did not use all my ballots, but it seems I voted for all and only the chief vote getters.

[amw]

Like most of the voters here (apparently) I don't know the early ones well at all, so my choices are also pretty conventional. Though I was surprised that no one else had voted for #46.

[EigenUser]

I root for 88. That being said, I've only heard 88-96. I liked them and I plan on hearing more. It wasn't music that got me terribly excited, but it was very enjoyable.

[Brahmsian]

Well, this was extremely difficult to narrow down to 15.

In order of Symphony number:

1 - No. 8 in G major "Le Soir"
2 - No. 31 in D major "Mit Dem Hornsignal"
3 - No. 43 in E flat "Mercury"
4 - No. 48 in C major "Maria Theresia"
5 - No. 49 in F minor "La Passione"
*6 - No. 51 in B flat
*7 - No. 56 in C major
8 -  No. 60 in C major "Il Distratto"
9 - No. 61 in D major
10 - No. 63 in C major "La Roxelane"
11 - No. 72 in D major
12 - No. 83 in G minor "La Poule"
13 - No. 85 in B flat "La Reine"
14 - No. 101 in D major "The Clock"
15 - No. 103 in E flat "Drumroll"


*NB:  I am the first to include Symphony No. 51 and 56 in their Top 15 list. 

There are honestly, several 'honorable' mentions, too many to name, but I'll name three that really, really stand out and could make this list are:

No. 13 in D major
No. 64 in A major "Tempora Mutantur"
No. 71 in B flat

[Brahmsian]

There are honestly, several 'honorable' mentions, too many to name, but I'll name three that really, really stand out and could make this list are:

No. 13 in D major
No. 64 in A major "Tempora Mutantur"
No. 71 in B flat

I see my 3 honorable mentions would have garnered another three "first time votes" in the poll. 

[Brahmsian]

I need 16...at least. One below won't make it 

31 D major "Horn Signal"
34 D minor
39 G minor
44 E minor "Trauersinfonie"
47 G major
52 C minor
54 G major
72 D major
73 D major "La Chasse"
78 C minor "The Stumbling Goat"
80 D minor
83 G minor "The Hen"
93 D major
99 E flat major "Cat"
100 G major "Military"
101 D major "Clock"

Sarge

Hey, we have 3 picks in common, Sarge!    #31, #83 and #101.

Did you pick all the minor key symphonies?       I was surprised my list only included 2 minor key ones.

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, this was extremely difficult to narrow down to 15.

In order of Symphony number:

1 - No. 8 in G major "Le Soir"
2 - No. 31 in D major "Mit Dem Hornsignal"
3 - No. 43 in E flat "Mercury"
4 - No. 48 in C major "Maria Theresia"
5 - No. 49 in F minor "La Passione"
*6 - No. 51 in B flat
*7 - No. 56 in C major
8 -  No. 60 in C major "Il Distratto"
9 - No. 61 in D major
10 - No. 63 in C major "La Roxelane"
11 - No. 72 in D major
12 - No. 83 in G minor "La Poule"
13 - No. 85 in B flat "La Reine"
14 - No. 101 in D major "The Clock"
15 - No. 103 in E flat "Drumroll"


*NB:  I am the first to include Symphony No. 51 and 56 in their Top 15 list. 

There are honestly, several 'honorable' mentions, too many to name, but I'll name three that really, really stand out and could make this list are:

No. 13 in D major
No. 64 in A major "Tempora Mutantur"
No. 71 in B flat

I'm writing an essay abut 51 & 64 right now. Let's see if I hit on anything that leaned you towards them.   Nice list anyway, all of those are on MY list too! 

[Sergeant Rock]

Did you pick all the minor key symphonies?     

Nope...had to leave out 26, 34, 45, 49 and 95


Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

I need 16...at least. One below won't make it 

31 D major "Horn Signal"
34 D minor
39 G minor
44 E minor "Trauersinfonie"
47 G major
52 C minor
54 G major
72 D major
73 D major "La Chasse"
78 C minor "The Stumbling Goat"
80 D minor
83 G minor "The Hen"
93 D major
99 E flat major "Cat"
100 G major "Military"
101 D major "Clock"

Sarge

Nope...had to leave out 26, 34, 45, 49 and 95


Sarge

Lay off that sauce, Sarge, and turn that frown upside down, 34 is in your original list! Whew! 

[Sergeant Rock]

Lay off that sauce, Sarge, and turn that frown upside down, 34 is in your original list! Whew! 

So it is. Huzzah! 

The sauce tonight: Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling trocken with dinner...and a dram, or two, of Glenmorangie.

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

The sauce tonight: Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling trocken with dinner...and a dram, or two, of Glenmorangie.

Sarge

In that case, cheers!

[Brahmsian]

I'm writing an essay abut 51 & 64 right now. Let's see if I hit on anything that leaned you towards them.   Nice list anyway, all of those are on MY list too! 

Actually, this is what I wrote about in 'da Haus' on my first impressions on December 03, 2013, regarding both Symphony No. 51 and 64. 

Yesterday, listened to Disc 18 of the Dennis Russell Davies and Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra set! 

Disc 18

Symphony No. 51 in B flat major Sparkling horns in the 1st mvt.  However, it was the II. Adagio that floored me.  High horn call, answered by a very low horn call (I thought it was a tuba or bassoon at first  )  This is seriously the most poignant, arresting classical era Adagio that I have heard since discovering Mozart's Gran Partita Serenade Adagio.  It is gorgeous.

Symphony No. 64 in A major 'Tempora Mutantur' Ditto here for the II. Largo.  Again, the effective use of the low horn is heart wrenching.  The pauses are equally effective.  The III. Menuet & Trio provides a much needed reprieve to the delicate melancholy of the Largo.

Needless to say, I was completed stunned and highly moved by the slow movements of both of these symphonies.

Would love to hear Gurn and others thoughts on these two beauties. 

[Brahmsian]

I went for the Top 15.

8, 31, 45, 51, 52, 68, 72, 80, 82, 88, 89, 92, 94, 100 & 102

YMMV.

Gurn!  You did have # 51 in B flat in your original list, but I guess you changed it in the poll.  I guess this could be a poll that everyone's votes might change on a daily basis. 

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn!  You did have # 51 in B flat in your original list, but I guess you changed it in the poll.  I guess this could be a poll that everyone's votes might change on a daily basis. 

Had 8, 72 & 31 also from your list. I had actually erased my vote with the intention of redoing it, but never could quite figure which 15 got the laurel, so I ended up with all 106...

[Brahmsian]

Hmm, further analysis suggests that I like to be 'entertained'.     Out of the 18 symphonies I chose (top 15 and 3 honourable mentions), the eras they belong to are:

4 - First Symphonies Written for Prince Esterhazy Era

3 - Strurm und Drang Era

7 - Symphonies for Entertainment Purposes Era

2 - Symphonies for the Public at Large Era

2 - London Symphonies Era

[Florestan]

OTOH now: 6,7,8, 45, 60, 88, 92, 94, 95, 96, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104

List subject to change at any time without previous notice. It's really impossible to come up with a definitive list. From 1 to 104 and everything in between there is not a single one without something at least interesting. 

[EigenUser]

I'm curious to know -- are there any that anyone thinks of as being particularly dull and uninspired? Even if it is still not bad?

[Florestan]

particularly dull and uninspired

These words are not in my Haydn dictionary.

[EigenUser]

These words are not in my Haydn dictionary.

Really? Even my favorite composers have works that I don't care for.
e.g. Bartok's SQs, Ligeti's cello concerto, Ravel's "Tzigane", Debussy's "Iberia", etc.