Haydn Opus 3 No 5
Beethoven Opus 18 No 4, 2nd movement
Boccherini Opus 33 no 6
Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809) was the most influential musical figure of the classical period. He began his musical career while J. S. Bach was still active but was influenced by the more modern approach of the next generation of composers, particularly of C. P. E. Bach. This post-baroque style is usually called style galante and it's relative simplicity and emphasis on song-like tunes laid the foundations of classical composition. The next wave of composers, many of them in or around Vienna, brought the classical style to its zenith.
Haydn was prolific and hard working, he enjoyed relatively good health, a long life, and continuous employment in the service of enlightened aristocrats. He rapidly developed a distinctive and attractive style which became very popular among audiences and composers all over Europe. He was also a likeable, good humoured man who influenced and promoted the work of Mozart when he was relatively unknown, and later taught composition to the 'next big thing', Ludwig van Beethoven.
The programme for this lunchtime concert consists of two short complete works, and an additional single movement, that represent the period of Haydn's greatest influence.
Haydn Opus 3 No 5
Presto, Andante Cantabile, Menuetto, Scherzando
The Opus 3 set of quartets, although claimed by Haydn rather late in his life, are widely believed to be not his own work. It is possible they were written by an admirer, Romanus Hoffstetter, writing deliberately in Haydn's style but there is still considerable uncertainty. The date of the quartets is also somewhat speculative but it is likely they are no later than 1750.
There are four short movements. Whoever it was who wrote this quartet can be credited with one of the best known and most enduring tunes from this period which turns up as the second movement. This simple song like movement with its lack of development and counterpoint, and its un-fussy accompaniment, is typical of the style galante.
Beethoven Opus 18 No 4
2nd movement Scherzo
Haydn's relationship with Beethoven was difficult, but Beethoven was a difficult man to get on with so that is not so surprising. Beethoven once claimed to have learned nothing from Haydn, but it seems likely that he was just piqued by being constantly compared to his teacher (famously Bethoven's first symphony was criticised for being a 'caricature of Haydn') and there is evidence that there was a great deal of love and respect between the two.
The Op 18 quartets were composed in the three years before 1800, around the same time as the first symphony, when Beethoven was in his late twenties and Haydn was approaching seventy. At this time Beethoven was still writing in a clearly Haydn-esque style. This is in contrast to the distinctive and revolutionary style of Beethoven's later works, particularly the extraordinary late string quartets. Beethoven's mature style was ground-breaking, and just as influential in the 19th century as Haydn's music was in the 18th, pointing the way towards the music of the 20th century.
The movement we have chosen shows the young Beethoven at his most playful. In this scherzo we can enjoy the composer at the end of the 18th century and his mastery of the truly classical.
Boccherini Opus 33 No 6
Allegro, Andantino Lentarello, Minuetto Con Moto, Presto Assai
Luigi Boccherini was a contemporary of Haydn, born in Italy but working most of his life in Spain. His music has not had the popularity or the permanent place in the repertoire enjoyed by the music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, however his chamber works are sparkling, often surprising, and certainly worth discovering.
Boccherini was a virtuoso cellist and his writing for the lower parts is far fuller and more involved than much of Haydn's, this has led some critics to regard some of his work as superior. Although he is consistently tuneful there are sections where the music is more textural, and where Spanish inspired rhythms makes it clear we are not in Vienna.
This quartet was written in 1780-81 and there are four movements including a interesting chromatic second movement, a minuet with constantly changing rhythms, and it ends with a Presto Assai at breakneck speed.