Haydn wrote 104 symphonies in total. These are his seven symphonies that you simply must hear...
Symphony No. 49, ‘La Passione’
For me, this is the most human and existential of Haydn’s symphonies. It’s about life, birth, love, death, asking very fundamental questions like, ‘Why are we here on earth?’ and ‘Why do we feel so much passion?’ It demonstrates all the facets of being human, from the slow and questioning opening movement, to the finale, which is full of Sturm und Drang. In between, it reveals the beauty of emotion; the beauty that human beings can create; and the beauty that makes life worth living.
Symphony No. 94, ‘The Surprise’
I think it’s important in life to be surprised, which is why I love this symphony so much. Even now, a few hundred years since its composition, the surprise still works. Of course, the audience has some idea that it’s coming, but I don’t think they count the bar numbers, so they’re not entirely sure when it’s going to hit. Overall, it conveys a sense of Haydn as a person: the man who cheerfully embarked on a tour to London aged 60, despite warnings from Mozart that he was too old for this sort of thing.
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Symphony No. 82, ‘The Bear’
The bear is a prominent symbol of Berlin, which is significant to me because that’s where I live. But I also love the earthiness of this symphony and in particular one moment, towards the end of the slow movement, where there is a breakdown in the rhythm – almost as in a piece of jazz or rock music – and it turns into something earthy and irrepressible. The result feels really human and primitive, and it makes you want to get up and dance.
Symphony No. 96, ‘The Miracle’
In these troubled times, with war and conflict affecting so many parts of the world, the need for miracles feels more urgent than ever. This music immediately creates a sense that you are standing on the threshold of something miraculous. From the very first notes, the slow interplay between the winds and strings creates a mood of anticipation, while the slow movement, marked by its thoughtful pauses and questioning phrases, keeps us wondering what might come next. This sense of suspense reflects our deep human hope for a better future.
Read on for more of the best Haydn symphonies...
Symphony No. 45, ‘Farewell’
As a Frenchman, I’m a big fan of Haydn because he invented the labour strike in music, and this symphony is where he introduces the concept: one by one, the musicians complete their parts and quietly leave the stage, until only the conductor and the first violinist remain. It’s spectacular – a piece of theatre really – and it gets funnier and funnier as it progresses, which, once again, indicates Haydn’s character: you could never imagine Bach or Schubert writing something like this. In many ways it was revolutionary for its time.
Symphony No. 6, ‘Le Matin’
This symphony beautifully captures the essence of morning, of new opportunities and hopeful beginnings. It opens with this gentle, unhurried phrase from the first and second violins. Then, gradually, the entire orchestra joins in. Notably, Haydn avoids using obvious cues like birdcalls or the sounds of nature; for that, you would need to look to Olivier Messiaen and some Finnish composers who wrote amazing symphonies using the sounds of birds. Instead, Haydn takes a more philosophical and deeply human approach, encapsulating the feeling of slowly waking up, stretching out the whole body, and preparing for the day ahead.
Read on for more of the best Haydn symphonies...
Symphony No. 44, ‘Trauer’
This symphony, which explores the theme of mourning, is deeply emotional – dark, powerful and intensely introspective. You really get a sense in the first movement that somebody has just died. Yet, alongside the sorrow, there’s a powerful affirmation of life. In the final movement, you can feel a struggle against death and a determination to cling to life at any cost. It leaves you with a real sense of Haydn’s zest for living; he was famous for his love of food and the company of friends, and in the end, this symphony inspires a deep appreciation for the ephemeral quality of life.
Who is François Leleux?
François Leleux is a French oboist and conductor who, at 18, became principal oboe at the Paris Opera. Since then, he has performed with ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Budapest Festival Orchestra and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, while frequently collaborating as a chamber musician – not least with his wife, the violinist Lisa Batiashvili. In tandem, he has developed his career as a conductor, leading ensembles including the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. In September, he launches his tenure as artistic director of the Kammerakademie Potsdam with a performance of Haydn’s Symphony No. 49, ‘La Passione’.
