Favourite Symphonist?
Posted by: u5227470736789439 on 21 September 2008
I posted this elsewhere and here is a slightly edited version:
Haydn was "the" master of the symphony for me. I could happily part with Brahms and Beethoven, even Mozart, in their symphonies, so long as I could keep Haydn's!
Of Haydn's, my favourites are something like 103, 99, 93, 88, 82, 87, but this is fairly pointless! I know and love each one from 82 to 104 well enough to give name, number and movement of each! That is a few "toons" to have stored in my heart.
Haydn often is completely light of heart but joyful in an invigourating way. In some works, such as 103 he not just brushes with trgaedy, but gives a sort of optimistic framework which raises the listener immediately, but without a hint of triteness, onto an altogether happier level of emotion. Haydn understood both sadness and joy, and makes it his mission to console as well as raise his listeners to a higher plane. Some of his works manage the very rare trick of actually containing humour to the extent of laugh out loud funny! Now that takes some managing in the sphere of absolute, and abstract instrumental music. The man was a genius who took himself none too seriosly! He wrote works that are perfectly crafted, but all the more humane in intention and effect for often being quite light of heart in thrust. The music is none the less these the work of a genius for being undemanding, in some cases, of the listener's involvement. That comes in time through a deep love of the music, because there is enough intellectual meat to make any amount of acquaintance and study rewarding of itself, if certainly not a pre-requisite.
If there was a ever a description of what is a morallity for music then Haydn makes the blueprint in his music. That is a philosophical point rather than one for useful debate. Compared to most music, Haydn's is a phenomenon that is emotionally generous! Kindly music from a kindly man.
Please add your favoutites Symphonists, and comment on the aspects of the music if this please you ...
ATB from George
Haydn was "the" master of the symphony for me. I could happily part with Brahms and Beethoven, even Mozart, in their symphonies, so long as I could keep Haydn's!
Of Haydn's, my favourites are something like 103, 99, 93, 88, 82, 87, but this is fairly pointless! I know and love each one from 82 to 104 well enough to give name, number and movement of each! That is a few "toons" to have stored in my heart.
Haydn often is completely light of heart but joyful in an invigourating way. In some works, such as 103 he not just brushes with trgaedy, but gives a sort of optimistic framework which raises the listener immediately, but without a hint of triteness, onto an altogether happier level of emotion. Haydn understood both sadness and joy, and makes it his mission to console as well as raise his listeners to a higher plane. Some of his works manage the very rare trick of actually containing humour to the extent of laugh out loud funny! Now that takes some managing in the sphere of absolute, and abstract instrumental music. The man was a genius who took himself none too seriosly! He wrote works that are perfectly crafted, but all the more humane in intention and effect for often being quite light of heart in thrust. The music is none the less these the work of a genius for being undemanding, in some cases, of the listener's involvement. That comes in time through a deep love of the music, because there is enough intellectual meat to make any amount of acquaintance and study rewarding of itself, if certainly not a pre-requisite.
If there was a ever a description of what is a morallity for music then Haydn makes the blueprint in his music. That is a philosophical point rather than one for useful debate. Compared to most music, Haydn's is a phenomenon that is emotionally generous! Kindly music from a kindly man.
Please add your favoutites Symphonists, and comment on the aspects of the music if this please you ...
ATB from George