Symphony No. 104 in D Major

The 12th and last of Haydn’s “London Symphonies”, Symphony No. 104, was written in the city during 1795 and first performed at the King’s Theatre on 4 May. The scoring is for a standard late-Classical orchestra of double woodwind, two each of horns and trumpets, timpani and strings. An eloquent “Adagio” introduction affords potent contrast with the initial “Allegro”, its main theme heard in varying guises and then further modified in the intensive development and impulsive final coda. The “Andante” in G major centres on a winsome melody mainly for strings, woodwind coming to the fore in two rather more volatile episodes that open out the expressive range accordingly. Marked “Allegro”, the third movement ranks among Haydn’s most vivacious menuettos and is offset by an amiable trio. Here, as in that drone-like undertow to the main theme of the final “Spiritoso”, an influence of folk music might well be detected, but the incisive interplay of the development and the keen affirmation of the coda could only be by Haydn. About Haydn’s “London Symphonies” The huge success of Haydn’s “Paris Symphonies”, published in London in 1788, made it all but inevitable that the city would commission further such works. This task was undertaken by violinist, conductor and impresario Johann Peter Salomon, who duly contacted the composer with the purpose of bringing him to London to perform his latest symphonies. Already acclaimed across Europe, Haydn became a celebrity on his first visit to London, writing six symphonies that were first performed during 1791 and 1792. Their success prompted his second visit in 1794-95, when another six were premiered. After these “London Symphonies”, Haydn turned primarily to oratorios and masses, writing no further symphonies in his final seven years of creativity.