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First Metropolitan United Church
October 14, 2011
The numbering of Haydn's 104 symphonies was established in 1907 by Eusebius von Mandyczewski, for the forthcoming publication, by Breitkopf and Härtel of the first volumes of the Gesamtauswerke intended to coincide with the centenary, in 1909, of the composer's death.
Although he used the best information available to him at the time, Mandyczewski's calm, ordered sequence of numbers and keys (the numbering we still in fact use today) disguises an unfortunate fact: subsequent discoveries of previously unknown manuscripts in castles and abbeys across Central Europe have dramatically changed the picture.
We now know that Haydn did not write 104 symphonies, he wrote 107. One is lost and only known to us from Haydn's own thematic catalogue; the other two, formerly thought to be a string quartet and divertimento, are now known as Symphonies "A" and "B".
We also know that the numbering of at least the first third of the symphonies is so chaotically inaccurate as to make the mid-20th century renumbering of Dvoràk's symphonies look like the correction of a minor clerical-error.
For what it's worth, the sequence of the first twenty symphonies is now believed to be numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 15, 18, 27, 32, 37, "A", 19, "B", 6, 7, 8, 16, 17, although there is still scope for further refinement.
The dating of the symphonies numbered six to eight - which formed the programme of Friday evening's season-opener from the Victoria Chamber Orchestra and Yariv Aloni - is well-established, for they date from the first months of Haydn's three decades in the service of the Esterhazy family - one of the richest and most powerful families in Europe; as late as 1918, the family still owned twenty-one castles, sixty market towns and more than 400 villages in Hungary, more castles in Austria and an entire county in Bavaria.
Haydn's employer, Prince Paul Anton, was an admirer of Vivaldi and employed an Italian (Luigi Tomasini) as leader of his orchestra. Small wonder, then, that these three symphonies have clear references to the Italian master and some virtuosic solo parts for the first violin, as well as the other section leaders. This would not only have pleased the Prince, it would have been a quick way to get on the right side of his fellow-musicians (soloists earned more money).
Yet, it is surely a measure of Haydn's own self-confidence that rather than composing a Concerto Grosso, he instead poured all of these influences into three symphonies - which, at no time sound like anyone but Haydn. It is somewhat sobering to realise that, when this music was written, Bach had been dead for eleven years, Handel for just two.
From the opening bars of Friday's performance it was clear that this would be an evening to treasure. The Victoria Chamber Orchestra have, indeed, "come a long way, baby" and, today, impress from the first notes - excellently tuned and balanced, with a light and lithe string tone, although there was, when required, also plenty of weight at the bottom end.
A bar-by-bar commentary on the three performances would rapidly pall, so I shall synopsise.
Tempos, were, as usual when Yariv Aloni is waving the stick, so well-chosen as to almost pass unnoticed. Opening movements sparkled, the slow movements featured some scintillating solo playing (I'll name names in a moment), minuets were not as quick as might be fashionable today, but they were sturdy and rhythmically vital. Finales fizzed by, but never breathlessly.
While every member of the orchestra has good reason to feel more than satisfied with their playing - they really were on splendid form - I obviously cannot finish without mentioning the soloists.
The bulk of the Vivaldian music goes to the first violinist and Yasuko Eastman was her usual splendid self. Cellist Mary Smith also impressed more than a little, both in solo parts and duetting with Eastman. Second violinist Sue Innes and violist Janet Sankey may have had rather shorter solos, but they made the most of them. And one cannot help but wonder what on earth Haydn thought he was doing with the stratospheric doublebass writing in the trios of the three minuets. Who on earth was the bassist in the Eisenstadt orchestra? Dragonetti would not be born for another two years and Gary Karr not for 180. Mind you, Richard Watters stepped up to the plate with aplomb and made a more than respectable showing.
Then, of course, we had the "extra" players - two oboes, two flutes, two horns and a bassoon. All played extremely well and their textures contributed greatly to the overall sound, so I shall name them all: Sheila Longton and Colin Mailer (oboes), Alison Crone and Patricia Hollister (flutes), George Kereluk (bassoon), Joni Vonkeman and Jennifer Nadiger (horns).
Finally, as it has almost become redundant to remark, Aloni directed performances of immaculate taste and considerable élan.
I think it a tribute in equal measure to the genius of Haydn and the calibre of the performances that after I got home there was clearly only one thing I could possibly listen to: more Haydn.
You miss the VCO's performances at your peril.
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