Symphony No. 15 (Haydn)
Symphony in four movements by Joseph Haydn
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Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 15 in D major, Hoboken I/15, may have been written between 1760 and 1763.[1]
The symphony is scored for two oboes, bassoon, two horns, strings, and continuo, with a solo for two violas or cello in the trio of the minuet.[2]
It has four movements:
The opening movement is more similar to a baroque overture than sonata form though the movement still eludes either of these forms and has a unique character of its own. The movement begins with a light adagio with the first violins alternating with two horns while the rest of the string section accompanies in pizzicato. The Presto has two themes with distinct bridges between themes; however, it is difficult to define which section is the exposition, development, and recapitulation, if in fact there even are such sections. The movement finishes with a modified version of the Adagio at the beginning of the movement.[3]
The work is one of the few symphonies of the Classical era to place the minuet second (others include Haydn's 44th Symphony and Symphony B as well as his brother Michael's 15th and 16th Symphonies). The G major trio was likely played as a quintet focusing on a dialog between violin I/violin II and viola/cello played over a bass.[3]
The slow movement is for strings and has one principal theme with several bridge motifs.
The final movement is a dance-like presto in ABA form.
