Michael Haydn's Symphony No. 37 in D major, Perger 29, Sherman 37, MH 476, written in
Salzburg in 1788, is the last
D major symphony he wrote, the fourth of his final set of six symphonies.
The symphony is scored for 2
oboes (2nd alternating on
flute in the second movement), 2
bassoons, 2
horns and
strings and is in three movements:
The first movement is notable among Haydn's works for the use of
tremolo notation as a shortcut for repeated
semiquavers. The second movement, like the slow movements of other symphonies in the set, treats the
woodwinds in an almost concertante fashion. The third movement is a lively
rondo with a little
development in
minor keys of the A
subject before the final restatement in D major. Though the bassoon is for the most part
doubling the cellos, towards the end Haydn has them imitate the twirls of the first violins a bar after, lending a hint of wit redolent of
Joseph Haydn's rondo finales.
References
A. Delarte, "A Quick Overview Of The Instrumental Music Of Michael Haydn" Bob's Poetry Magazine November 2006: 30 - 31
PDF
Charles H. Sherman and T. Donley Thomas, Johann Michael Haydn (1737 - 1806), a chronological thematic catalogue of his works. Stuyvesant, New York: Pendragon Press (1993)
C. Sherman, "Johann Michael Haydn" in The Symphony: Salzburg, Part 2 London: Garland Publishing (1982): lxviii
External links
The complete symphony is available in the
MIDI format from
Classical Archives. It was at first put in Joseph Haydn's page after his No. 104, but now it is in the general H page as "Symphony in D, Perger29, Sherman37, MH476." The tempi of the first two movements in the MIDI match the Goritzki recording, but for the finale a noticeably slower interpretation of "Allegro assai" is taken.