The London Revision of Haydn's Instrumental Style

Abstract

The most trustworthy contemporary biographer of Joseph Haydn, Georg August Griesinger, interviewing the aged composer, asked him whether it was true that he had composed the Andante of the ‘Surprise’ Symphony in order to waken the English who fell asleep at his concert. Haydn replied: No, but I was interested in surprising the public with something new, and in making a brilliant debut, so that my student Pleyel, who was at that time engaged by an orchestra in London (in 1792) and whose concerts had opened a week before mine, should not outdo me. The first Allegro of my symphony had already met with countless Bravos, but the enthusiasm reached its highest peak at the Andante with the Drum Stroke. Encore! Encore! sounded in every throat, and Pleyel himself complimented me on my idea.