Slow movements
The development of slow movements in symphonies between 1750 and
1900 demonstrates increasing diversity. What began as graceful passages offering a
sense of relief normally taking place in the second movements, evolved into a space to
show more emotion and character and lending itself to romantic programatisicm and
appearing in different movements of the symphony. The slow movement became a
flexible and creative space where composers could show their expressive freedom and
break the boundaries established at the start of the period.
In the early Classical period, slow movements typically offered a moment of relaxation
within the second movements following the energetic first movements. Johann
Stamitz’s Symphony in D major, Op. 3 No. 2, developed under the Mannheim
court, features a slow movement in a simple rounded binary form, with graceful
melodies, balanced phrases, and clear harmonic progressions to reflect
the gallant style of elegance over complexity. C.P.E. Bach, however, showed much
greater emotional depth in his second movements. In his Symphony in E minor, the
second movement slow movement in ternary form features unexpected dynamics
and chromaticism to embody the empfindsamer Stil or “sensitive style” C.P.E Bach was
inclined to for bringing drama through contrast and expression. This use of
expression would influence later composers to have more emotional exploration in their
second movements, perhaps foreshadowing later developments in the
Romantic period.
Haydn’s early symphonies generally follow the tradition of gentle slow movements,
often in ternary or theme and variation form during the second movement. However,
even in works such as his symphony No. 31 “Hornsignal”, he begins to incorporate
orchestral colour and instrumental dialogues, for instance through melodic lines
alternating between solo violin and horns to give a theatrical element. As his style
matured and he composed away from the Esterhazy palace, Haydn’s slow movements
became more inventive. His symphony No.88 is considered to be a “perfect” example
of this late style, however, the Largo second movement is rather
experimental by classical convention. It adopts a sonata form in miniature, more
common to the first movements of symphonies, showing how even the most prolific
composers of the time were starting to treat second movements as more of a
creative space. In symphony No. 104 in D major the slow movement as part of the
second movement uses harmonic tension, for example during the extended reprisal of
phrase A between bars 98 and 113 to show how second movements could be used for
intensity building purposes. Here Haydn implements an abundance of
chromatic features including Neapolitan six chords and upper chromatic auxiliary notes
resulting in a modulation form G major to Db major across the passage. This not only
The development of slow movements in symphonies between 1750 and
1900 demonstrates increasing diversity. What began as graceful passages offering a
sense of relief normally taking place in the second movements, evolved into a space to
show more emotion and character and lending itself to romantic programatisicm and
appearing in different movements of the symphony. The slow movement became a
flexible and creative space where composers could show their expressive freedom and
break the boundaries established at the start of the period.
In the early Classical period, slow movements typically offered a moment of relaxation
within the second movements following the energetic first movements. Johann
Stamitz’s Symphony in D major, Op. 3 No. 2, developed under the Mannheim
court, features a slow movement in a simple rounded binary form, with graceful
melodies, balanced phrases, and clear harmonic progressions to reflect
the gallant style of elegance over complexity. C.P.E. Bach, however, showed much
greater emotional depth in his second movements. In his Symphony in E minor, the
second movement slow movement in ternary form features unexpected dynamics
and chromaticism to embody the empfindsamer Stil or “sensitive style” C.P.E Bach was
inclined to for bringing drama through contrast and expression. This use of
expression would influence later composers to have more emotional exploration in their
second movements, perhaps foreshadowing later developments in the
Romantic period.
Haydn’s early symphonies generally follow the tradition of gentle slow movements,
often in ternary or theme and variation form during the second movement. However,
even in works such as his symphony No. 31 “Hornsignal”, he begins to incorporate
orchestral colour and instrumental dialogues, for instance through melodic lines
alternating between solo violin and horns to give a theatrical element. As his style
matured and he composed away from the Esterhazy palace, Haydn’s slow movements
became more inventive. His symphony No.88 is considered to be a “perfect” example
of this late style, however, the Largo second movement is rather
experimental by classical convention. It adopts a sonata form in miniature, more
common to the first movements of symphonies, showing how even the most prolific
composers of the time were starting to treat second movements as more of a
creative space. In symphony No. 104 in D major the slow movement as part of the
second movement uses harmonic tension, for example during the extended reprisal of
phrase A between bars 98 and 113 to show how second movements could be used for
intensity building purposes. Here Haydn implements an abundance of
chromatic features including Neapolitan six chords and upper chromatic auxiliary notes
resulting in a modulation form G major to Db major across the passage. This not only
