Symphony No. 29 in E major
Rather like A major in Mozart's output, the key of E major always elicited a warm response in Haydn's music. In the genre of the symphony, however, there are only two works in that key, No. 12 and No. 29. The flowing phrases of the opening of No. 29, moving easily from strings to wind instruments and back, create a mood of contentment that remains essentially undisturbed. In the Andante, scored as usual in this period for strings alone, the melody is shared between first and second violins, a word (as it were) at a time. Contrasts of dynamic in the Menuet help underline the teasing phrasing patterns, while the Trio is an example of Haydn's ability to create a slightly unnerving effect with the minimum amount of material. Between´1761 and 1765 the composer wrote four short Italian comic operas, most of which have not survived. The Finale of this symphony seems to reflect these first essays in Italian opera, with its pulsating bass lines and ready sequences.

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