Sinfonia No. 1 in D major
This most familiar of all Haydn's early symphonies begins, unusually, with a rising crescendo (not to be confused with the much longer and less unstable 'Mannheim crescendo'). The opening Presto, for all its unceasing rhythmic drive, includes many different motivic ideas they are not really 'themes' and changes of texture: for example, early in the second group in the dominant, the sudden breaking off and contrasting piano texture just when we expect a strong cadence; or the brief, agitated minore episode in contrasting one-and-one-half bar phrases. The brief development fragments and recombines the motives; striking are the horn fanfares that announce the impending recapitulation, which is considerably shortened but otherwise proceeds regularly.
The slow movement establishes once and for all the inimitable sprightly profundity that is so characteristic of Haydn's interior Andantes. It is in sonata form, with a 'surprise' turn to the minor mode and denser counterpoint for the reprise of the opening theme. The concluding Presto similarly exemplifies Haydn's 'brief 3/8' finale style; but the phrasing is irregular and unpredictable throughout.

Analysis of the movements

Musicians

Due to the unclear time of origin of most of Haydn’s symphonies - and unlike his 13 Italian operas, where we really know the exact dates of premieres and performances - detailed and correct name lists of the orchestral musicians cannot be given. 
As a rough outline, his symphony works can be divided into three temporal blocks.
In the first block, in the service of Count Morzin (1757-1761), in the second block, the one at the court of the Esterházys (1761-1790 but with the last symphony for the Esterház audience in 1781) and the third block, the one after Esterház (1782-1795), i.e. in Paris and London. 
Just for this middle block at the court of the Esterházys 1761-1781 (the last composed symphony for the Esterház audience) respectively 1790, at the end of his service at the court of Esterház we can choose Haydn’s most important musicians and “long-serving companions” and thereby extract an "all-time - all-stars orchestra".

Music

Score