Assignment for Tuesday, 4 September

Here is an ambitious assignment [REVISED 8/31, 12 noon]. Focus first on listening, then do what readings you can. We can talk about this in class.

MUS 622: Assignment sheet #2
For Tuesday, September 4

1) Read George B. Stauffer, “The Modern Orchestra: A Creation of the Late 18th Century,” in Peyser, The Orchestra, pp. 41-72.

2) Read through the essays in The New Grove 7, on “Stamitz” [on-line or Vol. 24, pp. 264-67], and “Mannheim,” section 2, “1743-1800, v. 15, pp. 771-74. Also see “Mannheim Style,” pp. 776-77.

3) Listen to and study Haydn’s Symphony No. 6 (which is one of a trilogy of his symphonies from 1761). [Score, first three movements only, and recording on E-reserve, Friday afternoon, 8/31]. Make up a profile of these three movements (P. Stedman, The Symphony, provides some guidance, pp. 34-36, on E-reserve). How does this symphony reflect Baroque and Classic techniques? What influences of other genres can be felt?

4) Consult the sections on these symphonies in H.C. Robbins-Landon’s Haydn Chronicles, Vol. 1 [reserve, ML 410 .H4 L26] (Brief excerpt on E-reserve.)

5) Listen to Haydn, Symphony No. 45 and for each movement make up profiles of form and salient features. Why is this symphony called “Farewell”? How are these dated and catalogued? (See New Grove work list in article on Haydn; check Hoboken catalog). Can you distinguish features that might be labeled Sturm und Drang? James Webster has a whole book on this Symphony and the Classical Ideal (will be on reserve after the weekend).

I mentioned doing program notes for 15 or 16 works during the semester. In a cursory check of the web, I notice that Wikipedia already has program notes for most of the Haydn Symphonies and I am sure there are lots of things to mine on the web. [That for Symphony 45 is at the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._45_(Haydn)]. But let's not take things so passively. Such simple descriptions could be a spring board or starting point. Go deeper--and have a good time and a nice weekend!