ANGUS MORRISON
THE WIRELESS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
(Leader, S. KNEALE KELLEY )
Conducted by JOHN BARDIROLLI
AMONG the best, and best-known, of Haydn's many
Symphonies,, there are twelve which bear the name of Salomon-all commissioned by that eminent violinist and produced by him in London. He had long cherished the project of bringing the great master to this country, and succeeded eventually in 1791, Haydn crossing on New Year's Day from Calais to Dover, a nine hours' sea passage in those days. Haydn stayed with us till the middle of 1792, feted and honoured in every way that enthusiasm and affection could devise. He saw a good deal of English life, of the Court and Society world, and made friends everywhere. He used to say that it was not until he had been in England that he became famous in Germany, meaning, of course, that the homage and rewards which came to him here were on a. much more generous scale than anything accorded to him at home.
Oxford gave its name to one of the twelve— the one which was played there when the University gave Haydn its honorary degree of Doctor of Music ; its neighbour, which has always been known as ' The London,' probably owes its name to the tact that it was chosen for performance at the Salomon Concert which was specially given for Haydn's own benefit.
Full of Haydn's inimitable good humour and cheerfulness, it begins with a slow introduction, which seems at first as though it would be a mere flourish of trumpets, but a more melodious section follows. It is in minor. The main quick part of the movement changes to the major, and the first merry tune is given out at once. The Symphony has the unusual feature of making use of the same main tune twice over in its first movement, instead of giving us a new one ; there is another tune, but it is not used in the way in which a main second theme usually is.
The slow movement is Haydn at his very best; it is made up very simply of a fine melody which is not really developed, but simply presented in various guises.
The third movement is at once dainty and vivacious, with a hint of mischief in its emphatic third beat of the bar at the outset, and the Trio, in minor, has only the slightest suggestion of the wistfulness that the minor mode can so often mean.
The last movement is almost boisterous in its good spirits. It begins at once with the chief melody, irresistible in its gaiety, and though to the student the movement is a model of skill and compactness, the effect is one of real simplicity and oven of lighthearted fun.
WHEN Brahms first produced this Pianoforte
Concerto it was, in his own words to his friend Joachim, ' a brilliant failure.' Critics and public alike failed to realize anything of the fine qualities in which it is so rich. Brahms accepted the failure with wonderful good humour and laid the work aside for a good many years. When he played it again, after Mme. Schumann had also done her part in making it known, his position in the world of music was much more firmly established, and the Concerto was more warmly welcomed.
At first it was called rather scathingly, ' a Symphony with pianoforte obbligato,' but it is quite possible that Brahms' own playing had something to do with its lack of success ; he was always more concerned with the breadth and bigness of his conceptions than with fineness, or even mere accuracy, in detail. The work has long ago won so sure a place in music lovers' affections that that early failure is difficult to believe.
(For 5.15 to 8.45 Programmes see opposite page.)