A2 Music Revision - Haydn

• Dubbed 'Father of the String Quartet' due to the large amount that he wrote
• First performed 1781
• Intended for private / semi-private performance of 4 accomplished players (chamber music)

• Violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello
• Violin 1 frequently plays higher than 2
• No doubling
• Double stopping notably in the adagio
• All instruments play arco throughout - stacatto helps create light, playful effect
• Most passages are p, with use of crescendo and diminuendo

• Rondo form ABACA1
• A = 0-36 refrain + repeats
• B = 36-70 = Episode
• A 71-107 Refrain
• C = 107-140 Episode
• A1 = 141-172 Refrain (substantially altered)
• A section is in rounded binary form
• Episodes labelled B and C however violin 1 part is almost identical and the violin 2 part is identical
• Each episode ends with dominant 7th chord which gives lack of finality, emphasises completeness of refrains
• Monothematic

• Monothematic - based off motifs x, y and z.
• Periodic phrasing - first 8 bars use perfect 2+2+4 classical phrase structure
• Much use of scales and arpeggios e.g. 17-21
• Mainly diatonic with some chromaticism
• Ornamentation is rare however acciaccaturas e.g. b7
• Articulation e.g. slurs and stacatto bring music to life

• Mainly 4 part

Parts usually independent - no doubling. However, violins do play in thirds, sixths and 10ths e.g. bar 9

3 part in second phrase of refrain

• homophonic

Very occasional chordal / homorhythmic e.g. 39-40

usually v1 dominates with other parts accompanying with same rhythm (mel dom hom)

• Aforementioned double stopping creates denser textures e.g. 5 part b50, 6 part bar 49.
• Pedals are common e.g. sustained 87-92 / repeated note 28-31.

• Functional harmony reinforced by p cadences and pedals
• each section firmly centred in Eb major
• Modulates to related keys e.g. 37-47 Ab major, 48-53 F minor, 64-68 Bb major
• Avoids obvious move to C minor, staying in happy joyful keys with much reference to the Bb major. Underpins a joyous move.

• Functional
• Tonic and dominant chords used frequently e.g. first phrase I-V-I
• Frequent perfect cadences
• Pedals
• Limited chromatic harmony - diminished triad b69
• Harmonic sequence 59-61
• Suspensions rare e.g. 14 (Bb)

• Unusual for rondo form to change metre but compound duple interrupted at Adagio for slow simple metre
• Simple rhythms of crotchets (usually dotted) and quavers
• Longer notes in lower parts
• V1 has passages of endless and often 'breathless' quavers e.g. 54-67
• Rhythmic diminution e.g. Motive x quaver crotchet quaver becomes three crotchets in 22-23
• General pauses fragment the music