Symphony No. 83 in g (The Hen)

Navigating through the 104 symphonies of Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), there are certain signposts, including the nickname symphonies such as The Philosopher or Mercury, as well as the larger groups written for Paris and London. The six “Paris” symphonies, Nos. 82-87, were composed at Esterházy in 1785 and 1786 and played to great success in the French capital the following season. The commission came from the Chevalier de St Georges, a rather gallant musician, poet, and modern-day Musketeer, who wanted to feature Haydn’s music on a prestigious concert series in Paris. Haydn was known to French audiences by at least 1764. These six symphonies are significant because they were written with the best features of the Parisian orchestra in mind: very large ensembles, including 40 violins, and superlative woodwind players. The second work in the collection, Symphony No. 83 in G Minor, is nicknamed La poule or “The Hen.” One of the few Haydn symphonies in a minor key, this work’s distinctive name comes from the second subject of the opening movement. Following a fiery, tempestuous opening subject, the second idea in B-flat major picks up the dotted rhythm figure motif to mimic the hen’s jerky motion. It is enhanced by the entrance of the solo oboe, which adds a clucking sound to the mix. The development section fixates on the first subject, dissolving into a slow meditation on the motive before the dramatic reprise begins.
The Andante opens with a pleading theme in the strings, and the ensuing transition to the second key (B-flat) is elegance itself. None of that prepares us for the intentionally surprising fortissimo chordal outbursts that periodically occur in the second theme. Those details carry over into an interesting development section, punctuated by spicy chromaticism and touches of foreboding. The following Minuet and Trio in G major casts aside such weighty matters and unfolds with typically rustic charm. Haydn does tinker with the metric feeling in the opening bars, creating a moment’s confusion about duple or triple rhythm. Even the finale rejects this Symphony’s minor-mode past in favor of a spirited G major dance. But listen carefully and you will hear echoes of D minor in the move toward the second subject. Those implications are not realized, but Haydn shows here his subtle command of tonal color and dramatic pacing.

(c) Jason Stell