Program Note

The Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major, Hob.VIIb/1, by Joseph Haydn was composed around 1761-65 for longtime friend Joseph Franz Weigl, then the principal cellist of Prince Nicolaus's Esterházy Orchestra. The work was published 1800-1900 Although the full work was discovered in 1961, Haydn had written the beginning of the principal theme of the first movement in his draft catalogue of 1765. This early work, contemporaneous with symphonies 6, 7 and 8and predating his D major cello concerto by around twenty years, already shows Haydn as a master of instrumental writing. The solo cellopart is thoroughly idiomatic. The concerto reflects the ritornello form of the baroqueconcerto as well as the emerging structure of the sonata-allegro form. As in the baroque concerto grosso, the accompanying ensemble is small: strings, two oboes, and two horns. It is possible that Weigl was the only cellist in the Esterházy Orchestra when Haydn composed the concerto, since there is only one cello line in the score, marked alternately “solo” and “tutti.” There is also, however, a basso continuoline, that might have been played by another cellist, or by Haydn himself on the harpsichord, or by a string bass player.

Mendelssohn strings Symphony in B minor N 10 Symphony No. 10 in B minor, precedes the years of the composer's greatest fame. It was completed in May of 1823 by a boy of 14. Only one movement has survived, and it is uncertain whether the symphony was conceived as a single- or a multi-movement work. Felix was studying with Zelter during its composition and the teacher's conservative musical leanings are reflected in the choice of form and style; the string symphonies of Carl Phillipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788), second eldest son of Johann Sebastian, clearly were an inspiration, and the slow introduction is reminiscent of Haydn. The dramatic dash that follows, however, is pure Mendelssohn.

F. J. Haydn program note cello concerto N.1 Haydn wrote the C major concerto between 1761 and 1765. The rediscovered materials indicate the piece was written for and dedicated to cellist Joseph Franz Weigl, a close friend who worked with Haydn at the Esterhazy Court. The main theme of the Moderato is the best sort of melody: cheerful, hummable, an earworm that one wouldn’t mind running through their head for most of the day. The Adagio is gorgeously ecclesiastic, reminiscent of Baroque-era slow movements in its harmonic progressions and breathy phrasing. The Finale: Allegro molto is

light and enchanting. Orchestra and soloist make use of their speed and dexterity for less serious means, a pleasant reminder that Haydn recognized that virtuosity and fun often go hand in hand. Scored for solo cello; 2 oboes; 2 horns; strings.

F. Schubert Symphony N. 4 In the first movement, one clear nod to Mozart’s style is the “ breath “ the orchestra takes before beginning the second main melody of the movement, which itself is very Mozartian. Though the symphony displays many such touches, Schubert’s own developing personal voice also shines through. The symphony’s opening, for instance, was quite original. Instead of starting with a slow introduction or plunging right in, Schubert begins with four introductory bars that Schubert scholar Brian Newbold charmingly called a musical “curtain.” It is easy to imagine a curtain rising in a small, eighteenth-century theater to reveal the world of the stage as the symphony begins: The slow second movement is perhaps the most original. After the first graceful elegant unfolds in E-flat major, the music slips into the distant and highly unusual key of C flat major. This key change gives the diet between violins and woodwinds that follows a dreamy quality. The music then schists to C- flat minor (written enharmonically as B minor to avoid an excessive number of flats in the key signature), but throughout there are still hints of major. This ever-shifting play of light and shadow will become one of the hallmarks of Schubert’s mature style. The third movement minuet is surprisingly in a minor key, with a contrasting middle section in major. Although its character clearly recalls the minuet from Mozart’s Symphony N. 40 in G minor, the melody was actually recycled by Schubert from a quartet he had written for an opera, Des Teufels Lustschloss (The Devil’s Pleasure Palace). The opera tells the story of the poor knight Oswald, whose love for the maiden Luitgarde is tested by seemingly supernatural apparitions in an old castle. After he bravely proves the constancy of his love, the ghosts and demons are revealed to be theatrical illusions organized by Luitgarde’s skeptical uncle, Count von Schwarzburg. The opera, which called for an elaborate set, went unperformed until the twentieth century. The finale begins with a characteristically cheerful tune that soon gives way to all manner of harmonic surprises and developments. Its understated ending caps off a remarkable youthful work that shows Schubert’s mastery of symphonic writing and hints at the directions he would later take.