ENJ P6(U10 14) 30-40 2PP 8/28/06 10:48 AM Page 258

258 THE CLASSICAL SYMPHONY I]Z:c_dnbZcid[Bjh^XEVX`V\Z

I]ZCdgidcGZXdgY^c\h

I]ZDca^cZA^hiZc^c\AVW HijYnHeVXZ

Listening Guide
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-
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Haydn: Symphony No. 94 in G major (Surprise),

89"GDB

Second Movement 89"GDB 89"GDB

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DATE OF WORK: First performed 1792 H]dgiZg H]dgiZgZWdd`

MEDIUM: Orchestra, with pairs of flutes, oboes, bassoons,

I]ZCdgidcHXdgZhFrench horns, and
HijYn<j^YZ

trumpets, along with strings and timpani

MOVEMENTS: I. Adagio cantabile; Vivace assai; sonata-allegro form, G major

II. Andante; theme and variations form, C major
III. Menuetto: Allegro molto; minuet and trio form, G major
IV. Allegro molto; sonata-allegro form, G major

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR:
Folklike theme in 2 regular phrases, each repeated (binary structure).
Loud, crashing chord (the “surprise”) at the end of the first theme.
4 variations on the theme: changes in dynamics and texture
(Var. 1); shift in key center, from major to minor (Var. 2); quick-paced
rhythms treatment (Var. 3); and varied orchestration and dynamics
(Var. 4).
Eighteenth-century period string, wind, and percussion instruments.

Second Movement: Andante; theme and variations form, 2/4 meter, C major

Theme—folklike melody; in 2 parts, each repeated (binary).

A section—melody outlines triad, played staccato in strings; 8 measures:

Andante
2
& 4 œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ. œ. œ œ œ œ
. . . . œ
p. .
œ. œ. #œ œ œ j‰ {
& œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ. œ . .
. . œ
A section repeated, pianissimo, followed by fortissimo chord.

B section—disjunct theme, ending in style of A, 8 measures:

≈ ≈
&œ œ œ
. œ
. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .#œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ. œ. œ œ œ äj œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰
& œ. œ. œ. œ. J {
B section repeated, with flutes and oboes.
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35 Haydn and the Symphony 259

Variation 1—A section begins with loud chord, has violin countermelody:
. .
œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ. œ. . œ œ œ œ
& œ Œ Œ ≈ œ J
p S S S
& œ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ 
f p f
A repeated.
B, with decorated violin line.
B repeated.

Variation 2—A heard fortissimo, in C minor (later shifts to major):

& œ œ bœ. œ. œ. œ. bœ œ. œ. œ œ nœ œ
. . . . . . œ
ƒ
A repeated.
Development of A, with fast passages in strings, remains in minor.
Solo violins lead into Variation 3.

Variation 3—A in fast rhythm, heard in oboes:

. . . . . . . .
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&
p
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ.
& œ

A repeated in violins, with woodwind countermelody; low strings drop out.

B continues with violins and woodwinds alone.
B repeated.

Variation 4—A heard in full orchestra, loud statement, accents on offbeats:

œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
¬
&
ƒ § § œ
œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
L& œ œ. œ. . . . œ. œ. . . œ
.
ƒ
A heard in violins in uneven, dotted rhythm, with accompaniment playing offbeats.
B continues in uneven rhythms in strings.
B repeated in loud statement by full orchestra.

Bridge to coda; staccato pattern, followed by sustained chord.

Coda returns to A melody, with varied harmony underneath; ends quietly in C major.