Early String Quartets (1757-1759)
Op. 1
Hybrids from diverse origins
Diverse names - Divertimento, Notturno,
Quartetto, and even Symphony
Five movements
Minuet
on either side of the slow movement
A few preserve the Trio Sonata texture
Two lower
strings provide rhythmic-harmonic background for melodic violin parts
Use of novel effects
Varied instrumental combinations
(the two
directly above demonstrate Haydn's wit and humor)
Middle Period Quartets (1760's)
Op. 2 greatly resembles Op. 1
Op. 3 believed not to be Haydn's - attributed to a monk
Op. 9 composed probably 1769
Four, not five movements
4 of 6 1st movements are Moderato
(too serious for Symphony)
wider range of note values and emotional effects
Minuet second, not third (needed
to follow the slower Moderato opening)
5 of 6 final movements marked
Presto in 2/4
(lively but lightly)
Required more virtuosity for the
1st Violin than other parts
(later quartets don't require as much but Haydn continues to think like
a violinist)
Mature Style
Op. 17 and Op. 20, like Op. 9 were composed as a group
(no particular order)
Different publishers would publish
them in different orders
Haydn would change the order to
sell to different publishers
Op. 20 is significant because 3 of the 6 have fugal finales
(2,5 & 6)
not fugues like Bach
more like essays in invertible
counterpoint
the "learned" effects had to be
played down
only used where they can't be
taken too seriously
"Fugue" was too serious for the
galant, fashionable man
Op. 20 is a good combination of form and expression
Rhythms are more varied
Themes are expanded
Development more "organic"
the four instruments have more
individuality and equality
the cello was used more melodically
The Work - String Quartet, Op. 20, No. 1 (Hob. III:31) in Eb major (1772)
Haydn thought this one (the last of Op. 20 to be composed) was
the one that
deserved to be the first
in the set
Op. 20 is considered to be the peak of Haydn's
string quartet style
(a peak from
which he never descended)
In this work he displayed new ways to handle
the instruments
Duets (notice
the counterpoint)
three against
a different three
viola put in
the bass with cello on melody
antiphonal groupings
Avoidance of "passage" work
FORM
FIRST MOVEMENT - Allegro Moderato
(It's
a lesson in what to do other than Sonata form while staying within the
framework of it)
EXPOSITION
First subject (m. 1) - unprecedented motivic economy
4-meas. A theme plus 2-meas. extension
meas. 7 - A repeated "on" the dominant
back in tonic at meas. 11
Transition from meas. 16 to 27 - long, developmental
Second subject at meas. 28 (Haydn technique of postponing the second subject
-
almost seems like a closing theme)
In the dominant
4-meas. B theme plus 2-meas. extension
new material and some A material dev.
Closing - meas. 36 through 1st ending
the A flat in the first ending takes us to tonic
for the repeat
DEVELOPMENT
meas. 40-42 looks like an intro in G maj.
meas. 43 gives us A theme in the tonic (fausse reprise)
meas. 46 begins tonal instability
notice antiphonal-type imitation between Violin I and Cello - meas. 49-56
B theme at meas. 60 in C minor
A theme developed with imitation between voices in meas. 62-69
note in meas. 70 - transition motive from meas. 18
RECAPITULATION
begins is measure 72 - different voicing - in tonic
A theme of 4 meas. (with no repeat "on" dominant)
Transition at meas. 82 uses A theme then original transitional material
it plays with the tonality but ultimately just returns to the tonic
B theme from meas. 96 in tonic
Closing from meas. 104 like in the Exposition
SECOND MOVEMENT - Un poco allegretto (Minuet and Trio)
MINUET (rounded binary)
A - pick up to meas. 1 through meas. 8 - repeated
(in tonic E flat)
B - pick up to meas. 9 through downbeat of 20
("on" the dominant B flat but goes through
B flat minor then back to B flat major)
Transition - meas. 20 - 24
A theme returns at meas. 25
(in the tonic E flat)
Closing - using A theme
Repeat from B
TRIO
C theme - starts on subdominant but goes
back to tonic
Repeats
Closing with false return of A in F minor
MINUET
repeated
THIRD MOVEMENT Afettuoso e sostenuto
Monothematic; harmonically
/ tonally moving
Overall
form is:
A in the tonic A flat - Repeated
A in the dominant E flat ending in A flat - Repeated
FOURTH MOVEMENT - Presto (Sonata form)
EXPOSITION
A section - meas. 1 - 9 (Tonic E flat)
Transition - meas. 10 - 32
B section - meas. 33 - downbeat of 48 (Dominant)
Closing - meas 48 - 55
DEVELOPMENT
meas. 56 starts with A in tonic
through meas. 106
RECAPITULATION
A section - meas. 107 - (Tonic)
Transition at meas. 116
B section - meas. 138 (Tonic)
Closing - meas. 153