The symphonies on this album are not in chronological order; their actual order of composition is likely 16, 15, 14, 13.
Interpretation
The Hanover Band performs on period instruments at a pitch of A = 430Hz, with the conductor Roy Goodman directing from the harpsichord for these symphonies.
Composer Biography
Joseph Haydn's first significant role was Kapellmeister for the Morzin family, who divided their time between a summer castle in Bohemia and a townhouse in Vienna.
Compositional Technique
Symphony No. 15 features a first movement unusually styled as a French overture, characterized by its slow-fast-slow (A-B-A) structure.
Composition History
Financial problems forced the Morzin family to disband their orchestra around 1759-1761, leading Haydn to join the Esterházy family.
Historical Context
Haydn composed for the Morzin family's orchestra, which included a wind band (oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets, and timpani) that joined the strings when needed.
Compositional Technique
Symphony No. 16 demonstrates Haydn's early preference for monothematic symphonic movements, where a single contrapuntal theme provides all the motivic material.
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