Symphony No. 41 in C major
In distinction to No. 38 (in the same key), this work eschews all staginess in favour of unmediatedly symphonic style. The opening Allegro con spirito in 3/4 moves from cantabile phrases initiated by short, isolated forte attacks to a grand continuation; the second group recalls that of No. 35 in its rushing, tremolo, rhythmically unstable character. The development is one of Haydn's first to make an aesthetic point of the 'immediate reprise' (a statement of the main theme in the tonic towards the beginning of the development, before the real action gets under way); this was a precursor of his better-known 'false recapitulations'. The movement ends with a brief, climactic codetta; another example of Haydn's increasing tendency, during these years, to expand the normal symmetry of the sonata-like forms.
The delicate and subtly expressive Andante features an elaborate flute solo, supported for much of its course by the other winds (the first oboe also has real melodic stature). It is one of Haydn's first slow movements to include the horns, and to mute the violins (both soon became standard practice). The minuet adopts a deliberate, galant, downbeat-oriented style, with (again) paired oboes and horns in the trio. The finale is a winning perpetuum mobile on a jig-motive (2/4 metre, but with constant triplets as if in 6/8), with a rhythmically intricate second phrase and an occasional pretence at counterpoint; like the opening movement, it closes with a fortissimo codetta extension not heard in the exposition.

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