The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-23
HAYDN AND THE ORCHESTRA
HIS FORK IN DEPARTMENT OF
INSTRUMENTATION.
Writing Chiefly In Three Part Harmony,
He Demonstrated the fundamenta
Principles OF Orchestration-How la
ter Writer'S Have Rested Upon Them.

Principles OF OrchestratiOn-hO la.
ter Writer'S Have Rested Upon Them,
Further consideration of the work Of
Joseph Haydn in the development OF
musical art naturally leads to some ex-
animation of his orchestral method. for
it was in the symphonies that he set forth
most conspicuously his manner Of con-
structing the sonata form. His achieve
ment, however. did not end with the
definition Of purely formal lines. but be
laid the foundations Of modern orchestra
ton. Much indeed had beer done before
his time. but little II anything appeared
to have acquired a settled method.
The operate composers had advanced
far, but their aims were not specifically
those OF symphonic writing. From them
the composers of symphonic music re-
ceived their first suggestions and the
riches of the operatio orchestra were
greater than those Of the symphonic
orchestra even in the time of Beethoven.
What Haydn did in setting the or
chestra apart and treating 1t is as a
separate and independent instrument
was Of incalculable value in the progress
OF musical art.
Those who nave studied the history OF
music know that the first real orchestra
was that Of Monteverde. an opera COM
poser who began his labors in the dawn
the seventeenth century. They know also
that his orchestra was a badly balanced
aggregation of instruments, lacking
the vital principles OF cohesion which
give unity and individuality to the or
,hnatra ~ EaothNunn Tha nDror 1y;1l.p
the chief singer OF the orchestra OF to-day,
was a mere incident in the orchestra OF
Monteverde. whereas brass instruments
preponderated,
Cavalli, whose .Giasone," produced in
lsis. contained the germs OF the italian
opera aria, discerned the utility Of en-
ploying three part harmony in the strings
as the foundation OF the orchestral ac-
compartment. The principle which his
method demonstrated was accepted by
Lulli and later by Scarlatti. But it was
the latter who also perceived it's incom-
pleteness. Scarlstti divided his violins
into first and second and allotted to the
violas in many cases an independent
part, thus bringing into the modern or
chestra the string quartet which is its
Leading factor.
None Of these early composers mas
tered the secrets of distributing their
chords. The basis Of all orchestral writ
ing is the correct or most effective method
OF distributing the notes OF each chord
in the harmony. By means of this dis.
tribution the composer attains rich sonor-
ity. clearness, balance of tone. color and
variety.
When the laws OF distribution were first
discovered composers saw only that by
treating the first violin as a soprano, tho
second as an alto. the viola as a tenor
and the BASES as the foundation they
could get good results. They failed to
perceive that this distribution could fire.
quently be altered with excellent results
even when they we're writing for the
strings alone, and they did not learn that
In the arrangement OF combinations of
strings and wind 1t might frequently be
put aside altogether.
Although Haydn did not arrive at the
Anal solution of the problems of orcbes-
~tration. he found the basis Of the plan or
which modern writing for the orchestra
has been reared. He decided upon the
elementary arrangement Of instruments
and upon the first principles OF the dis
tribution Of chords. All that he did was
primitive, but it was rational, and it con-
tanned the possibilities Of development.
No clearer demonstration Of this can be
found than the advances which Mozart
himself made from Haydn as a starting
point. and those which Haydn afterward
made with what he learned from Mozart.
Haydn declared in his old age that he was
Just beginning to learn the true use Of
the wind instruments and that he must
cease to labor before he had benefited
by his increased information.
The early writer's for the orchestra re-
tanned among it's instruments the harpsi-
chord. which acquired its position by rea-
son Of its continued employment in the
operate apparatus. There 1t was used to
accompany the recitativo secco and was
played along with the orchestra in tutti
passages. The harpsichordist was prac-
tically the leader Of the orchestra, for the
modern conductor had not yet appeared.
Even as late az Mendelssohn's time SYM
phonies were sometimes directed by a
harpsichord playe but Haydn's scores
are performed to-day without the assist
ance OF a keyboard instrument. and this
fact sufices to show US that they were
planned on a rational orchestral basis.
Haydn's first symphony, written in
1859, was scored for first and second vio-
Inns, violas, BASES. two oboes and two
horns. His well known symphony in D
major, written for London in 1895, was
scored for two flutes. two oboes. two
c~larinets, two bassoons, two horns, kettle
drums. violins. violas, cellos and BASES.
The introduction to THE Creation one
Of his latest works. is scored for two flutes,
two oboes. two clarinets. two b~assoons,
contra bassoon, two horns. two trumpets.
two trombones. tympani and the usual
strings.
This score contains the plan Of the
modern orchestra. All that has been done
since Haydn's time Is to extend the bound
aries without altering the plan. Recent
writer's, seeking for descriptive color.
just AS Haydn did in the delineative pas
sages of his Creation employ more
Instruments. but select them principally
from the same families. When they employ
instruments OF other kinds they do 30
for the sake Of special effects.
Instead Of Haydn's W flutes Wagner
or Strauss calls for from three to four Of
these Instruments and invariably re-
Quires piccolo, or octave flute. The oboe
10 tho eonr.po ~ a cartain IN milv ~ raad