Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 44, 88 And 104

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Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809) Symphony No.44 in E Minor "Trauer" ("Mourning") Symphony No.88 in G Major Symphony No.104 in D Major "London"Joseph Haydn was as prolific as any eighteenth century composer, hisfecundity a matter, in good pan, of the nature of his employment and the lengthof his life. Born in 1732 in the village of Rohrau, the san of a wheelwright,he was recruited to the choir of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna at the ageof eight, later making a living as best he could as a musician in the capitaland earning useful acquaintances through his association with Metastasio, thecourt Poet, and the composer Nicola Porpora.In 1759, after some eight years of teaching and free-lance performance,whether as violinist or keyboard-player, Haydn found greater security in aposition in the household of Count Morzin as director of music, wintering inVienna and spending the summer on the Count's estate in Bohemia, where anorchestra was available. In 1760 Haydn married the eldest daughter of a wigmaker,a match that was to bring him no great solace, and by the following year he hadentered the service of Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy as deputy to the oldKapellmeister Gregor Werner, who had much fault to find with his youngcolleague. In 1762 Prince Paul Anton died and was succeeded by his brotherPrince Nikolaus, who concerned himself with the building of the great palace ofEsterhaza. In 1766 Werner died, and Haydn assumed the full duties ofKapellmeister, spending the larger pan of the year at Esterhaza and pan of thewinter at Eisenstadt, where his first years of service to the Esterhazy familyhad passed.Haydn's responsibilities at Esterhaza were manifold. As Kapellmeisterhe was in full charge of the musicians employed by the Prince; writing music ofall kinds, and directing performances both instrumental and operatic. This busyif isolated career came to an end with the death of Prince Nikolaus in 1790.From then onwards Haydn had greater freedom, while continuing to enjoy thetitle and emoluments of his position as Kapellmeister to the Prince'ssuccessors.Haydn's release from his immediate responsibilities allowed him, in1791, to accept an invitation to visit London, where he provided music for theconcerts organised by Johann Peter Salomon. His considerable success led to asecond visit in 1794. The following year, at the request of the new PrinceEsterhazy, who had succeeded his eider brother in 1794, he resumed some of hisearlier duties as Kapellmeister, now in Eisenstadt and in Vienna, where he tookup his own residence until his death in 1809.Symphony No.44 in E Minorwas written about the year 1771. The name by which it is generally known, Trauer Symphony (Mourning), is said tohave been suggested by the composer, who is alleged to have asked for the slowmovement to be played at his funeral. The symphony is characteristic of theintensity of feeling that characterised the Sturmund Drang mood of the time, opening with a stark, rising figure,followed by a dramatic c