Symphony No. 6 in D Major, "Le Matin" ("Morning")
1 flute, 2 oboes, 1 bassoon, 2 horns,
violino concertante, violin I ripieno, violin II,
viola, violoncello concertante, violoncello ripieno,
bass solo, bass, harpsichord continuo
Adagio-Allegro
Adagio-Andante-Adagio
Menuet & Trio
Finale: Allegro
Program Notes by Martin Pearlman
Le Matin is the first of a trilogy of early Haydn symphonies written in 1761: Le Matin, Le Midi, and Le Soir (Morning, Noon, and Evening). These were among the first works that he composed for his new employer, Prince Paul Anton Esterházy, and, according to Haydn's early biographer A. C. Dies, it was the prince himself who suggested the idea of depicting the times of day. The prince's idea perhaps came from Baroque models. He was an admirer of concerti grossi, particularly those of Corelli, and Haydn here offered the prince an updated approach to that older genre. Within a symphony, he contrasts soloists against the larger ensemble, as in earlier concerti grossi.
The first movement of Le Matin begins with a slow introduction, a rarity in early symphonies. Within its mere six bars, it grows from pianissimo in the first violins alone to a fortissimo with the full orchestra, depicting, almost certainly, the sunrise. The Allegro that follows that introduction features prominent solos for the flute and oboe.
The second movement has only strings. The Adagios that begin and end the movement start with a slowly rising scale, which falls to a low "G" at the very end of the movement. The Andante section in the middle features two soloists: a violin and a cello. The Menuet is once again for the full orchestra with a solo for the first violin and, remarkably, solos in the Trio section for bassoon and double bass. The spirited Allegro that ends the symphony features solos for flute, violin and cello.
Boston Baroque Performances
Symphony No. 6 in D Major, "Le Matin" ("Morning")
April 28, 1978
Paine Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor