Part 10 (2/2)
[Footnote 116: Haydn himself used to speak of his melodic invention as ”a strea reservoir”]
[Footnote 117: In every large city there are, of course, frequent opportunities to hear the Quartets of Haydn played by such faanizations as the Flonzaley Quartet etc The student is urged to take advantage of these occasions]
The Finale of the E-flat sonata, in strict Sonata-forht-her
The extension of the sentence shows Haydn's freedo with measure 17, we should have to count the measures 1, 2, 3, 3a, 4, 5, 6, 6a, 7, 7a, 8, 8a In the second theins in the 44th measure, note the piquant dissonances[118] coupled with sforzando accents Haydn surely liked spice as well as anyone!
The rest of the Exposition is taken up with closing passages which accentuate the tonality of the second theme--B-flat major The Developinal material and Haydn's treatment is perfectly clear The Recapitulation is a literal repetition of the Exposition, with the two themes as usual in the tonic key The movement may be considered an example of Sonata-form in its clearest manifestation, hence an excellent one for preliminary analytical study
[Footnote 118: Those who erroneously think that there is nothing of the dissonant element in Haydn should examine the Prelude to _The Creation_--a real anticipation, in its use of the chromatic element, of _Tristan and Isolde_]
In the first movement of the _Surprise Syins, we have an early exah it be, is most carefully planned; with its crescendo froenuine feeling of expectancy The first theme of the Exposition (Vivace assai) is a happy illustration of Haydn's sparkling rhythaiety The reader is asked to remember that the comments on this symphony--and on all subsequent symphonic works--are based upon the orchestral score; also that the composition, when separated from its orchestral dress, necessarily loses much of its real eloquence Thus the first theme, of a folk-dance character, is a typical violin s--with their incisiveness and power of subtle phrasing--can fully express its piquancy For private study or for class-room work, a practical version is that for four hands; or better still, when possible, the arrangement for two pianofortes[119] The second phrase of the first theme is considerably expanded by repetition, as if unable to stop from sheer exuberance, but finally reaches a cadence in the dominant key in the 32nd measure We are at once taken back, however, to the home-key of G major; and, in measure 40, the first theme is repeated, this time delicately embellished with phrases on the flute From now on, by reason of the emphasis laid on the key of D e and are heading towards the announcement of the second theht at his h it is a pleasant touch of variety in measures 55-57 to introduce the h the fiery violin passages in the following ive an air of considerable exciteins in enuine individuality, but consists of running passages--based exclusively on tonic and dominant hareneral vivacity It is, however, decidedly alive--not stagnant or flabby--and in the orchestra it all ”co the_,
[Music]
which Haydn liked so htly embellished The Exposition closes with the conventional insistence upon a strong cadence in the key of the second theitivepassages and a series of iterated notes Of organic and sustained development, such as Haydn indeed sometimes attained, there is little trace Even so wecondemnation; for there are well-planned dynamic contrasts and the instruure in the double basses (h perhaps no ambols There is sufficient modulation, so that the principle of Plurality of key is carried out We are suddenly but gracefully led back, in inning the Recapitulation This portion, with certain abbreviations, is an almost exact duplication of the first part and emphasizes the main tonality of G major That Haydn was not forced to this literal repetition through any lack of fancy is shown by the skilful amplification of the first theme, in measures 177-184 The whole movement sparkles with sunshi+ne; and those ponderous ”heavy-weights” who criticise it because it is not deep or ”soulful” are looking for qualities which the music does not pretend to contain It is the work of a wholesouage his joy in life In listening to theby the side of a rippling brook The three rereadily accessible they are not given in the Supplement The second movement, a set of stereotyped variations, contains the explosive chord which gave to the work its descriptive title Needless to say that this chord does not ”surprise” _our_ reat extent The Minuet is one of Haydn's best--full of queer antics in rhythro di molto), in the Rondo Sonata form, is the acme of Haydn's vivacity and is a ”tour de force” of brilliant writing for the strings In es they seeive a much better effect when perforele instrument The freedom in control of both pedals possessed by each player secures a greater richness and sonority of tone and it is much easier to make prominent voices stand out in relief]
Haydn's position in the development of music is of the first importance Whatever his works may ”mean,” they contain a rhythmic vitality which will keep them alive for ever, and their ”child-like cheerfulness and drollery” will char as the world shall last
CHAPTER X
MOZART THE PERFECTION OF CLassIC STRUCTURE AND STYLE
Although Mozart, Wolfgang Aard to art problems, nopre-eminentlyhis works we are aware that aspects of fored for the better In the first place he was ifted than Haydn; he had froe of a broad cosmopolitan experience, and he was di possibilities of musical expression It is a perfectly fair distinction to consider Haydn an able, even brilliant prose-writer, and Mozart a poet Haydn we can account for, but Mozart is the genius ”born, notclassification--and his inspired works seeht from the blue of Heaven Whereas Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert were all of very lowly parentage[121]
(theiron their heads!), Mozart's father and eneral cultivation, and in particular the father, Leopold Mozart, was an educated man and somewhat of a composer himself, who since 1743 had been in the service of the Archbishop of Salzburg, as director of his private orchestra
An excellent violinist, he had written and published a treatise on violin playing, which for many years was the standard work on the subject Both parents were noted for their good looks, were, hly respectable in every way A their several children two early exhibited unusual precocity--Maria Anna, born in 1751, and Wolfgang, still eneral delicacy of perception erated, but we have sufficient valid evidence to convince us that he was a phenoan to improvise between three and four, actually to compose little pieces (which we have), when he was five, and to perfor for nineteen years (until Mozart had reached the age of twenty-five) began theVienna, all the chief cities of Italy and Germany, even Paris and London These tours the father planned and carried through with the utmost solicitude and self-sacrifice--not to exploit the talented children, but to give them a comprehensive education and artistic experience, and eventually to secure for his son souished post worthy his abilities It is quite impossible to rehearse all the details of these trips For one ishes to investigate for hile incident, however, will sho clearly defined were the two personalities which made up the complete Mozart; and of which one or the other was in the ascendant throughout his life As a ht-hearted, witty--even volatile--fond of society, dancing, and a good tied by modern standards, but, as shown by his ht-weight he is often represented Yet whenever ; he became instantly serious, and would suffer no disrespect to hi the last sad years of his career in Vienna, when he was in actual want for the bare necessities of life, a publisher once said to him, ”Write in a more popular style, or I will not print a note of your ood sir,” replied Mozart, ”I have only to resign er”
[Footnote 120: Amadeus (the beloved of God)]
[Footnote 121: We ard to ancestry and environment all four of the so-called Viennese masters, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert are distinct refutations of the claiood in ely Croatian; Mozart was strongly influenced by non-Teutonic folk-music (Tyrolese melodies frequently peep out in his works); Schubert's forebears came from Moravia and Silesia; and Beethoven was partly Dutch If there be any _single_ race to which the world owes the art of music it is the Italians, for they invented most of the instruments and hinted at all the vocal and instrurateful to the Ger appropriation of what others had begun; only let them not claim _all_ the credit]
In Mozart's works, in distinction frohly wrought instruh such was his inborn spontaneity of expression that we are never aware of the labor expended His works are quite as clear as those of Haydn, but they show a more conscious individuality of style
They are not so artless, and the phraseology is inative vitality; trite, eneral avoided, cliain is anic development
For Mozart, as a master of polyphonic treatle feature in his work is the ceaseless flow of expressive melody, notably those wondrous tunes found in his operas, such as ”Voi che sapete,” ”Batti, batti” and numerous others
He had travelled so widely, so keen was his power of assimilation that his melodic style embodied and enhanced the best qualities of contemporary Italian, French and Gerenius was of sufficient strength to achieve this result without lapsing into forestions he took heif not individual in its inimitable charm and freshness Whereas Haydn's music often smacks too prominently of the soil, with Mozart we have the fine flower of a broad artistic culture In his best sy quartets the art of an to be capable of expressing the universal emotions and aspirations of mankind
The reactive influence--each upon the other--of Haydn (1732-1809) and Mozart (1756-1791) is afeature of the period[122]
By the time Mozart was ripe for his best work Haydn had formulated and exemplified the main lines of instrumental structure Froe that in his last coenius--a union of individual content with perfect clarity of style--which has kept them alive to this day Haydn's last symphonies, the two Salomon sets cons of the stier man The perennial importance of for the fact that both Tchaikowsky and Richard Strauss, two of the most fearlessly independent of modern composers, have considered Mozart as their ideal But even if in Mozart's best works we are not beyond the preponderating influence of fored on their own intrinsic ress made since--of which, nevertheless, they were an important foundation His technique was quite sufficient to express what he had to say We seldoh the forreat for the body Purity of conception and faultlessness of workmanshi+p were still the desiderata of music The world had to wait for a Beethoven before the hearer should be shaken out of himself by a spiritual power, of which the music at best was often an inadequate expression This stateement Because Beethoven was enius of his predecessor Any faratitude e hi contrapuntal texture and for the perfect finish and care for detail found therein Could we be forever content with ”abstract music”--that which justifies itself by a fulfilment of its own inherent laws--Mozart's music would remain the ac quartets, his three principal symphonies, and--above all--the operas, of which Don Giovanni and the Marriage of Figaro are noted exa (so that, as Rubinstein ree has beco musical vitality, for a coenious and characteristic handling of the orchestral forces, these works were unequalled until the advent of Wagner and even to-day in their own field remain unsurpassed The real charh with a haunting pathos--eludes verbal description As well atterance and charm of a violet Hazlitt's fine phrase, apropos of performance, says much in a feords ”Mozart's music seems to come froy of Goethe, to whoenius enius than that productive power through which deeds arise, worthy of standing in the presence of God and of Nature, and which, for this reason, bear results and are lasting? All the creations of Mozart are of this class; within thee to age, and is not likely soon to be exhausted or devoured”
[Footnote 122: For extended comment, see the _Oxford History of Music_, Vol V, p 246, _seq_]
In studying Mozart's works the special points to be noticed are these: the wider sweep and freer rhythanic fusion of the different portions of aperfectly clear but not so rigid as in Haydn; the reater richness of the whole musical fabric, due to Mozart's marvellous skill in polyphony The time had not yet come when the composer could pique the fancy of the hearer by unexpected structural devices or even lead him off on a false trail as was so often done by Beethoven Both Haydn and Mozart are ho of individual melodies is the chief factor in their works; but whereas in Haydn the tune is almost invariably in the upper voice, in Mozart we find thein any one of the voices and often acco imitations See, in corroboration, any of the first three movements of the _G minor Symphony_ or the slow movement of the _E-flat ht changes; the for just been established by Haydn--and Mozart with his genius filled the His one important contribution to the development of instrumental form was the Pianoforte Concerto; but, as a consideration of this would lead us too far afield, the student is referred to the life of Mozart in Grove's Dictionary and to the Oxford History, Vol V The literature[123]
about Mozart and his works is voluminous Our chief attention nevertheless should be centered on the works themselves rather than on what anyone else writes about theestive and illu that the student should become familiar with them