Symphony No. 34 in d minor
The autograph of this symphony has not survived and there is nothing in its instrumentation two oboes, two horns and strings to point to a particular period. The movement pattern of slow, fast, minuet and fast suggests that it belongs with symphonies Nos 21 and 22 to 1764-1765; on the other hand, the fact that its opening movement is in the minor key suggests a kinship with No. 49 in F minor, known to have been composed in 1768. All four movements of No. 49 are in the minor but in No. 34 the minor is used only for the first movement, a sombre beginning to an otherwise bright work. In the second movement the wide intervals of the opening paragraph, the ensuing unison catch-phrases and the many short solos for oboes and horns show the strong influence, as in No. 29, of opera. The Menuet has a deliciously syncopated trio section and the work concludes with a short three-part presto movement.

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