Hob.I:92 Symphony in G Major Oxford     
The Oxford Symphony (No. 92) is actually a Paris Symphony: it originally belonged to the edifice the three works ordered by Prince von Oettingen-Wallerstein in 1788 and simultaneously composed for the Paris Loge Olympique by Haydn as a “follow-up” to the Paris Symphonies due to the enormous demand, but was probably not completed on time. The first known performance of the composition took place in July of 1791 in Oxford – hence the name – at the conferral of an honorary doctorate to Joseph Haydn. Haydn knew why this specific symphony was selected for the occasion: it lives up to the title of “Doctor of Music” and in every aspect is on par with the London Symphonies among which they had yet to be counted. Here, as well, the slow introduction serves as a structural means for providing a solid framework to what in formal terms is an extremely complex major section: the principal theme begins so to speak “in the middle,” outside the tonic. The composition of the entire movement is so chromatic and contrapuntal that the actual development only needs to be short. The adagio of this symphony is among Joseph Haydn’s most famous slow movements ever, formally in a simple tripartite structure with a surprisingly turbulent minor-key mid-section which contrasts with the cantabile of the main section. In melodic terms this part of the setting is entirely dependent on the dominance of the violins. As is often the case with Haydn, the minuet is left to the performer’s interpretation. At first glance it can even be considered “Alpine,” if you will, where rhythmic surprises lurk behind the simple billowing of the melody. In the trio Haydn succeeded at creating an original arrangement with simple horn quintets. The final movement resumes the rondo cadence, but proves to be a sophisticated composition of a sonata movement in its delicately balanced exchange between “intellectual” and “gallant.”

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