Symphony No. 11 (Haydn)

Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 11 in E-flat major (Hoboken I/11) is a symphony which may have been written as early as 1760 but no later than 1762.^[1]

It is scored for 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 horns, strings and continuo.^[2] The symphony is a sonata da chiesa in four movements:

1. Adagio cantabile, 2/4
2. Allegro, cut time
3. Menuetto con Trio, the trio in B-flat major, both 3/4
4. Presto, 2/4

This work has been mentioned as a possible companion piece to Symphony No. 5 in that the two symphonies are in sonata da chiesa form with finales that are not in the customary (for the time period) 3/8 meter.^[3]

In the trio of the minuet, one of the parts is an eighth note behind the others, creating an effect of limping syncopation.^[4]

References

1. ↑ H. C. Robbins Landon, The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. London: Universal Edition & Rockliff (1955): 632. "c. 1760–62. Earliest ref.: St. Florian, 1769. In a now lost catalogue of symphonies which Haydn sent to Breitkopf & Härtel, the composer referred to the work as 'one of the earliest'."
2. ↑ Landon (1955): 632. "2 ob., 2 cor., str. [ fag., cemb. ]."
3. ↑ H. C. Robbins Landon, Haydn: Chronicle and Works, 5 vols. (Bloomington and London: Indiana University Press, 1976–) v. 1: "The Early Years, 1732–1765",.
4. ↑ A. Peter Brown, The Symphonic Repertoire (Volume 2). Bloomington and London: Indiana University Press (2002): 51–52. ISBN 025333487X.