String Quartet, Opus 33 no 3 – Joseph Haydn
“The Music Lesson“ (c.1769)
__________
by 1781, Haydn was, along with Mozart,
the most celebrated composer in Europe,
and via publication of his musical scores,
his compositions would’ve been played
even in smaller communities, where
string players would’ve blossomed
everywhere for there being no television
only two generations ago, my own family
sported, if not violinists, remarkable
fiddlers – see, for comparable example,
“Deliverance“, I have old movies at home
of my own kin doing such wonders
the Opus 33, no 3 is no longer, you’ll note,
especially courtly, this is music to heed,
pay attention to, not meant to be
background
nor is it
in the first few bars of the very first
movement, Haydn’s got you riveted,
you know you’re going to get your
money’s worth, and you do, in
exponential spades
you’ll note there are no dance
references, cerebral tempo markings
only – allegro moderato, scherzo:
allegretto, adagio ma non troppo,
finale: rondo – presto – which means
the music will be entirely edifying,
not carnal, sensual, music is
specifically becoming an intellectual
exercise, a new, as it were, language,
no longer doing tribal tribute around
a bonfire, it’s speaking rather than
pulsating
pay attention to the vehemence,
the stark contrast between the
opening statement in the second
movement and its response, a
nearly unnerving juxtaposition
pay attention to what Haydn does
to the entire first section of the
adagio ma non troppo, the third
movement, with the recapitulation
of the themes by introducing very
magic in the superimposed
peregrinations of the first violin,
to entirely enchant and exalt the
original musical proposition
and that final exit in the last
movement, after so fiery a
rondo – presto, urgent and
even confrontational
but ever so brilliantly, in the last
few moments, rendered courtly,
respectful, deferential, indeed
the very Classical spirit of
Haydn
R ! chard
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