Repertoire: The Haydn Symphony CRUSADE! (No. 53 "L'Impériale") 

Dave I really really appreciate the time and effort you put into these Haydn Crusade talks. They are the highlight of your channel - and that's really saying something.

One of the most important symphonies ever. So much more future music in there than just the Jupiter motif! It also proves what Dorati knew about Haydn - that the jarring rhythms of the first few bars of a Haydn symphony's first allegro are no accident!

Can't wait till #54.. with that amazing second movement...

Oooh. I'm glad that Hanssler finished the cycle. I'm looking forward to getting it.

Special your speech! Intelectualy you are perfect and joyfull. Thank you.

That was a GREAT analysis of Symphony 53. The mechanisms of unity and variation are uncovered with clarity and enthusiasm. Haydn never fails to reward. Thanks.

Yay! Nothing gives me more pleasure than a new episode in the Haydn Symphony Crusade(*)! And at 45+ minutes, my boat has really come in. Will be enjoying this soon! Thank you for persevering! (*) well, nothing online, anyway

Knowing how busy Haydn was, at once a composer of opera and theater music and a composer of instrumental music as well as his managing duties at esterhazy, it makes sense for him to have temporarily recycled the finale for a performance and have written a bespoke finale when he had the time.

What a treat! Just the other day, I was wondering what happened to this series.

Back to this channel after a month! What an epic surprise with a new Haydn Symphony Crusade of one my favorites, number 53. A few weeks ago I was perusing Landon's work on the Haydn Symphonies and was surprised how much he seemed to dislike or dismiss the post-Sturm und Drang period symphonies. He basically said these symphonies were made without care to appeal to the popular taste and Haydn must have felt bad about needing to pivot his passionate music into something like this. I don't hear this narrative at all! Sure, there are fewer minor key works in these "middle period" symphonies, but the emotional range seems just as rich to me. Moreover, these symphonies are full of new types of inventiveness that are not in the Sturm und Drang period at all. All due respect to Landon and his legendary musicological work, of course. I'm curious what you think, Dave, about this narrative on the "middle period" symphonies. I wonder if it relates to the false assumption that pre-Beethovenian composers were just, basically, stair steps to Beethoven.

Great comments! I hope those clowns who keep protesting about permissions heard you. Hearing these analyses is always a great pleasure and the delays are not appreciated. Anyway, even though this was overdue, it was definitely worth the wait!

Haydn is my favorite composer, but I mostly know his piano sonatas, piano trios and string quartets. This is the first of Dave's symphony analyses I've listened to, and I look forward to catching up on them, as I loved this one!

I've just listened to no. 57. Wow, that is also a masterpiece, incredible. I am looking forward to it. I know Mr. Hurwitz doesn't like Hogwood's recordings but his incomplete cycle is the base for me besides Doráti's cycle. His tempos are usually very good (but not always), the recording is transparent and crystal clear, orchestra is precise, with truly excellent horn players. I didn't find better cycle in the Count Morzin symphonies like his recordings. And he plays every repeats. He omits dubious trumpet and timpani parts but that is the only drawback.

Just wonderful...thank you for your Information...I really appreciate your time and passion...just grand...beginning to LEARN Haydn from a completely different view....again many thanks😊

Always loved the capriccio.

When Dave spends 45 minutes on a 15-20 minute peice it’s going to be good.

This is terrific! Thanks! Btw, in the Haydn 2032 version they repeat the Development and Recap sections of Mvt. 1. I dislike when conductors do that as it feels like padding. What are your thoughts? Also, when the Recap starts I notice it jumps straight into the climax (or tutti?) of Theme 1 without the horn arpeggio. Was that also something unique? PS: I love the Haydn 2032 renditions for their vibrant rich sound. Those albums brought me back to Papa Haydn whom I usually thought of as too staid.

David, it wasn’t “too scattered or complicated” at all. But it is so jam packed that I’ll have to watch again. It won’t be the first time I’ve done that. I love that drum solo at the end too. I appreciate the way the timpani can be heard throughout the symphony. Does the recording have the alternative Finale separated after, or is the whole symphony played again with it?