Michael Haydn Johann Michael Haydn (; 14 September 1737 – 10 August 1806) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn. Life Michael Haydn was born in 1737 in the Austrian village of Rohra ...

's Symphony No. 23 in D major, Perger 43, Sherman 22, Sherman-adjusted 23, MH 287, is believed to have been written in

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

around 1779. This symphony was incorrectly attributed to

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

Ludwig von Köchel Ludwig may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ludwig (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Ludwig (surname), including a list of people * Ludwig von Koopa, a character in Mario (the game) Arts and entertai ...

with the number K. 291, on the basis of a fragment of manuscript which Mozart copied, apparently to help him study the

fugue In classical music, a fugue (, from Latin ''fuga'', meaning "flight" or "escape""Fugue, ''n''." ''The Concise Oxford English Dictionary'', eleventh edition, revised, ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson (Oxford and New York: Oxford Universit ...

form of the final movement. Scored for 2

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, ...

s, 2

bassoon The bassoon is a musical instrument in the woodwind family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuosity ...

s, 2

horn Horn may refer to: Common uses * Horn (acoustic), a tapered sound guide ** Horn antenna ** Horn loudspeaker ** Vehicle horn ** Train horn *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various animals * Horn (instrument), a family ...

s and

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

, in three movements: # Allegro assai # Andantino, in

D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major. The D natural minor scale is: Changes needed ...

, changing to

D major D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...

at measure 65 #

Fugato In classical music, a fugue (, from Latin ''fuga'', meaning "flight" or "escape""Fugue, ''n''." ''The Concise Oxford English Dictionary'', eleventh edition, revised, ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson (Oxford and New York: Oxford Universit ...

. Presto mà non troppo The slow movement begins in D minor, without winds at first. The oboes and horns come in with the change to D major. The third movement was at first mistaken by Köchel for a work of Mozart's. Mozart did in fact copy out the first 45 measures of it (

Simon Sechter Simon Sechter (11 October 1788 – 10 September 1867) was an Austrian music theorist, composer, conductor, and organist. He is best known as a strict music teacher, whose many students included Anton Bruckner, Sigismond Thalberg, and Henri ...

completed the score of the finaleSherman & Thomas (1993): 107). Some time afterwards, he wrote his String Quartet in G major, K. 387, with a finale that is also a fugato and also begins with a theme consisting of four

whole note A whole note (American) or semibreve (British) in musical notation is a single note equivalent to or lasting as long as two half notes or four quarter notes. Description The whole note or semibreve has a note head in the shape of a hollow ov ...

s first stated by the second violin. Having the first 45 measures in Mozart's hand, it was natural for Köchel to assume that Mozart was the author. Moz fug

This symphony is one of the few by Michael Haydn to have a slow movement in a minor key (the others are No.s 6, 9 and 20) though in this one the D minor key signature changes to D major around the middle for the rest of the movement. Horns in D are used throughout, and in the fugal finale they even get to play the fugue subject a couple of times.

Discography

This symphony is available on a VoxBox 2-disc set together with seven other symphonies, and on the CPO label on a CD with Symphonies No.s 1C, 22 and 33, conducted by Johannes Goritzki, who in the first movement adds an exposition repeat not indicated by the Sherman edition.

References

* A. Delarte, "A Quick Overview Of The Instrumental Music Of Michael Haydn" ''Bob's Poetry Magazine'' November 2006: 3

* 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 {{portal bar, Classical music, Music Symphonies by Michael Haydn, Symphony 23 Compositions in D major 1779 compositions