Symphony No. 32 in C major
Unlike No. 2, this, symphony with trumpets and drums splendidly incorporates the festive C major type common in Haydn's early oeuvre. As noted above, it exhibits the otherwise unusual 2/4. opening movement typical of this group. The development leads to what may or may not be a 'false recapitulation': after a barely sufficient length of time and degree of activity, the tonic is well and clearly prepared; but what follows is a new, imitative, modulating version of the second theme; the opening theme follows a little later. The galant Menuet follows in second position; the trio in the minor shows how much Haydn could do with conventional formulas. The slow movement, by exception an Adagio ma non troppo, is in the subdominant; in brief sonata form, it too adverts briefly to the minor just when we think the true reprise is at hand. The brief Presto 3/8 finale is in miniature sonata form, with a middle section that, however brief, genuinely modulates.

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