Symphony No. 58 in F major
This symphony seems to progress from normalcy to eccentricity. The Allegro theme is, unusually for Haydn, sustainedly cantabile and firmly rounded off at the end; energy and elan are reserved for the second group in the dominant and the second part of the development (whose first part shown the cantabile headmotive in a new, partly joking light). The Andante, in rounded-binary rather than sonata form, begins oddly with a nine-bar theme, which the remainder of the movement spins out at length. The minuet ala zoppa ("limping") has the same musical substance as that from the Baryton Trio Hob. XI: 52 in D. It is regular in phrasing; the nickname refers to the constant long notes on the second beat of the measure (note the subtle joke of varying the 'normal' first bar on its return, four bars later). In the baryton work, the minor-mode trio is marked "al contrario", presumably to point up the contrast between its legato ductus and regular four-bar phrasing and the minuet; note as well the horn pedal, which dissonantly sounds through the changing harmonies in the strings. The Presto finale in 3/8 is based throughout on an offbeat motive that is rhythmically hard to grasp by ear; later, the eccentricity becomes pervasive, with sudden stops and starts, dynamic changes, and chromatics.

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