Symphony No. 3 in G major
If this imposing work is indeed earlier than 1761, as the sources imply, it offers persuasive evidence of Haydn's early mastery. The opening Allegro, 3/4, begins with a theme that is potentially in double counterpoint, the long melody notes contrasting with 'running' quavers in the bass (though the melody is heard in homophonic versions as well). Among the other contrapuntal passages in the movement, the most impressive occurs just after the beginning of the recapitulation: the long notes finally turn up in the bass, the first violins bring a new version of the running motive, and the seconds add a new syncopated countermelody.
The sonata-form Andante moderato turns to the tonic minor; its apparently simple tune develops into an intricate web of hocketing and imitative figures. The minuet may sound galant, but it is a strict canon at the octave: one of the earliest, if not the earliest, of the many symphonic minuets where Haydn injected 'learned' elements into this unassuming dance-form. The trio is pure concertante for the winds.
But the Finale, a masterpiece, trumps all this with a remarkable synthesis of fugue and sonata style, again arguably Haydn's first example of this important type of finale.
Indeed it resembles the finale of the 'Jupiter' Symphony, in that it is a sonata-form movement in elaborately contrapuntal texture, based on a 'cantus firmus'-like subject consisting of four semibreves. The first group in the tonic is a formal fugal exposition; the transition, although more 'businesslike', uses two new motives in invertible counterpoint. The second group in the dominant combines one of the latter with the original 'cantus firmus' motive, and the development increases the complexity considerably. Finally, the recapitulation features a four-part stretto on the 'cantus' — until, as always, Haydn reverts to sonata style at the very end, for a spirited wind-up.

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