Transition scene to music reminiscent of the introduction. Calm and flowing. Scenes of daily activity for the Bride and her Farmer husband. There are five variations on a Shaker theme. The Bride takes her place among her neighbors.
Muted strings intone a hushed prayerlike passage.
The close is reminiscent of the opening music. Since their 18th century origins, symphonies have been performed for a wide variety of events, formal and informal, social and liturgical. Haydn's contribution to and development of the genre is seen through his 106 symphonies. Recent scholarship has shown that the symphony was probably initially composed in 1768, but that doesn't take away from the joyous brilliance of the work, truly fit for a gala performance for an empress. Technical brilliance is certainly an element of Bach's concerti, but the emphasis is more on the conversation between soloists and orchestra.