Haydn and Asia Symphonies

Synopsis

In February of 1794, the Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn arrived in England for his second visit, and the premiere performances of some of his newest symphonies, beginning with one in E-flat Major that we know as his Symphony No. 99.

Haydn would write 104 symphonies in all—an astonishing accomplishment, considering both their quantity and quality. In typically modest fashion, Haydn once commented:

“I compose music so that the weary and worn, or the man burdened with affairs, may enjoy a few moments of solace and refreshment. I know that God has bestowed a talent upon me, and I thank Him for it. I think I have done my duty and been of use in my generation by my works. Let others do the same.”

Well, these days, as in Haydn’s, to write a symphony one needs talent and an orchestra willing to perform it. The American composer Daniel Asia has a way to go before matching Haydn’s output, but has composed at least five symphonies to date. The first was commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony, and received its premiere performance in Seattle, Asia’s hometown, on today’s date in 1990.

This music is from the finale of Asia’s Fourth Symphony, a commission from the Phoenix Symphony. And, perhaps thinking of Haydn’s creations of some two centuries earlier, Asia writes: “This Fourth Symphony is my most 'classical’ in structure and sound... in this piece I was rediscovering old formal ideas.”

Music Played in Today's Program

Franz Josef Haydn (1732 — 1808) Symphony No. 99 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 442 614

Daniel Asia (b. 1953) Symphony No. 4 New Zealand Symphony; James Sedares, cond. Summit 256

On This Day

Births

• 1743 - Italian composer and cellist Luigi Boccherini, in Lucca;

• 1880 - American composer Arthur Shepherd, in Paris, Idaho;

• 1906 - Welsh composer Grace Williams, in Barry, Glamorganshire;

• 1912 - American band leader and arranger Stan Kenton, in Wichita, Kan.;

• 1926 - Rumanian-born Hungarian composer György Kurtág, in Lugoj;

Deaths

• 1605 - Italian composer Orazio Vecchi, age 54, in Modena;

• 1941 - Irish composer and arranger Sir Hamilton Harty, age 61, in Brighton;

• 1975 - Italian composer Luigi Dallapiccola, age 71, in Florence;

Premieres

• 1736 - Handel: cantata “Alexander’s Feast,” at Covent Garden Theatre (Gregorian date: Mar. 1) ; Also on the program were Handel’s Concerto grosso in C (HWV 318), Harp Concerto, Op. 4, no. 6 (HWV 294) and Organ Concerto, Op. 4, no. 1;

• 1914 - Zandonai: opera "Francesca da Rimini," in Turin;

• 1923 - Sibelius: Symphony No. 6, in Helsinki, with composer conducting;

• 1929 - Bartók: String Quartet No. 3, in London, by the Waldbauer Quartet;

• 1932 - Copland: "Symphonic Ode," commissioned for the 50th Anniversary of the Boston Symphony and conducted by Serge Koussevitzky; For the 75th Anniversary of the Boston Symphony, Copland revised this score and dedicated it to the memory of Koussevitzky; The revised version was premiered by the Boston Symphony conducted by Charles Munch on February 3, 1956;

• 1941 - Morton Gould: "Spirituals for Orchestra," in New York City, conducted by the composer;

• 1949 - Irving Fine: Partita for winds, in New York City, by the New Art Wind Quintet;

• 1949 - Douglas Moore: opera "The Emperor's New Clothes," in New York;

• 1961 - Stravinsky: Anthem ("The dove descending breaks the air)", in Los Angeles, Robert Craft conducting;

• 1985 - Peter Maxwell Davies: Symphony No. 3,at Manchester's Free Trade Hall, by the BBC Philharmonic, Edward Downes conducting;

• 1990 - Daniel Asia: Symphony No. 1, by the Seattle Symphony, Christopher Kendall conducting;

• 1999 - John Adams: "Naïve and Sentimental Music," at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, with Esa-Pekka Salonen, conducting.