Listening guide for Joseph Haydn’s “Joke”

Listening Guide for Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in Eb, Opus 33, No. 2, Movement Four “Presto”
Measures	Theme	Observations
1-8	A	The opening theme begins with an anacrusis to the first measure.  Each section begins this way which gives the whole movement a playful, dance-like character.  Additionally this has practical considerations as violin I is the only one to play the pickup in this theme, allowing that player to successfully lead the ensemble back in after each grand pause later in the piece.  The key is Eb major and the harmony is simple here, mostly tonic and dominant sonorities with the most harmonic interest coming half way through bar 3 with a V7/V resolving to the V chord, as one would expect.  There is a brief ii chord in bar 7.  Non-harmonic notes in the melody consist of appoggiaturas (mm. 1,3), Passing tones (mm. 1,3,5-7), an unprepared chromatic lower auxiliary tone (or possibly a suspension), the only accented non-harmonic tone in this passage (m. 5), and a chromatic lower auxiliary tone (m. 4).  Measures 1-2 and 3-4 begin with a similar melodic contour and have identical articulation.  Measure 5 gives the expectation of a third repeat of what was heard in measures 1 and 3 but ventures into what becomes the high point of this melody with a strong cadence in the last two measures.  The dynamic marking throughout this section is piano.   Violin I carries all of the melodic interest while the other 3 parts play an accompaniment role, with the cello dropping out briefly for measure 3-4 resulting in a lighter texture.  There is a pedal tone played by the cello in measure 5 with harmonies changing above it.  The simplistic harmony, strong melodic design, and relative lack of dissonance allow this melody to fulfill its purpose of being a memorable theme that holds a lot of potential for development.  The articulations keep it light which aids the display of Haydn’s sense of humor throughout.
1-8 repeat	A	Repeat of the first 8 measures
9-28	B	The dynamic marking here is still piano with a crescendo from measure 25-28 which then drops back down to piano after a rest in all four parts.  This theme begins on the dominant chord and borrows its melodic material for its opening two measures from the opening two measures of theme A.  Haydn then develops this with a different contour in the next two measures which then builds to some new material, the high point of which is a high Bb dotted quarter note, the longest melodic note yet, that falls to an Ab followed by an F.  This same melodic shape is repeated diatonically only starting on Eb.  The entire section could be analyzed as still being in the key of Eb with secondary dominant and secondary diminished chords, but it seems plausible that Haydn was hoping to lead the listener to hear the first 8 bars in the key of Eb with the middle measures modulating to the key of the dominant (Bb), before eventually returning to Eb (arguably the last 7 measures).  This is further supported by two changes in texture: 1. the bottom three instrumentalists all playing sustained notes after the first 8 bars, and 2. the same instruments become rhythmically active once again staring with the last 7 measures.  The last 13 measures of this section find the cello playing nothing but a low Bb which gives the composer the chance to repeat his use of changing harmony above a pedal tone.  For three measures (mm. 22-24) the cello plays three eighth notes at the start of each measure which helps the action build, despite being relegated to a single pitch.  Throughout this section there is an increased use of accented non-harmonic tones.  In a very clever manner Haydn avoids the pitches A or Ab in measures 22-27, which would clearly define whether the piece is in the key of Eb or Bb at this point, before landing on the last measure (m. 28) with Violin I playing a high Ab.  This definitively lets us know that the piece is back in Eb.  The listener, however is presented with a rather humorous half cadence where one might expect all of the preceding excitement to culminate with an authentic cadence.  This provides the opportunity for an easy transition back to…
29-36	A	Theme A repeats
9-36 repeat	B,A	Themes B and A repeat
37-71	C	This section enjoys the most harmonic exploration.  Once again, by using secondary (dominant and diminished) harmony this entire section could be analyzed in the key of Eb.  In doing so the section would begin with a V/IV chord.  I think, however it is a bit easier to say that we have modulated to Ab major for the first 11 bars (mm. 37-47).  This is followed by a move to f minor for the next 6 measures (mm. 48-53), then Eb major for 9 bars, with the remainder of the section modulating to the key of Bb major, save for the final chord, Bb7 in first inversion which once again results in a humorous and rather unexpected half cadence that leads very nicely into the next section.  The first two key centers are supported by the cello playing only the fifth of each key.  The piece also starts this way when it moves to Eb but eventually alters the pattern with some transitional material before landing in Bb.  This section begins with a dynamic marking of forte with sforzando markings at the beginning of every other measure for 17 bars (mm. 41-57).  A lot of the melodic material shares commonalities with or is derived from the opening two themes.  The second half of the seventh measure of the B theme, for example, is developed as a motive here.  The relative lack of notes in the viola part in the first four measures of this section make it texturally sparser.  This material found in these four measures is also used, with tonal alteration, as the opening of what I have labelled as the D theme (see below).  The last two bars drop once again to a dynamic marking of piano adding to the humor.
72-79	A	Theme A repeats with no changes
80-99	B	Theme B repeats exactly as it was earlier
100-107	A	Theme A repeats
108-140	D	As mentioned above, the melodic material for the first four bars here has already been used as the opening of the C theme, only the violin part is an octave higher and all of the D-flats of the original have been changed to D natural.  This section may be the least interesting harmonically.  For 16 measures there is not a single accidental to be found.  What it lacks in harmonic interest is made up with aggressive melodic leaps that jump as much as a 10th, and undoubtedly the most active and interesting scoring of the entire movement.  All four instrumental parts are given melodic material that is introduced in fugal style here.  In this movement it is this section that most closely resemble Haydn’s boast that these pieces were written in “an entirely new and special style,” although the other movements clearly more accurately represent this.  This gives me the impression that this is also part of the “joke,” and seems that perhaps Haydn was mocking a style that was considered outdated, at the time.  In particular I feel he could have been targeting the early string quartets that placed the viola and cello in octaves that had more in common with their predecessor, the trio sonata.  This section is also marked forte until the last 8 measures where it suddenly drops to piano on its way to ultimately dropping down to pianissimo where it ends once again on a half cadence.
141-148	A	Theme A repeats
149-152	E	This is quite an exceptional section in an already exceptional work, for which I can find no precedent or model to justify its inclusion.  Haydn dramatically changes meter, 2/4, and tempo, Adagio, for the four bars that make up this section.  The entire part is diatonic to the key of Eb major and is the only instance of a decrescendo found in the score.  Oddly this section does end with a perfect authentic cadence.
153-170	A	Haydn’s sense of humor is on full display here.  Theme A is presented with just one pitch changed in the 37 notes that comprise the melody.  The melody is presented in three 10-note fragments each ending with a shorter, more abrupt duration than what is heard in their other statements, followed by a grand pause.  Violin I leads the ensemble back in with its pickup note.  The remaining 7 notes are rhythmically altered to mimic the opening of the theme coupled with identical articulation.  The supporting instruments play exactly what they have done in every other statement of this theme, beyond the grand pauses, except for when they are supporting the melody’s 7-note phrase.  The architecture of this section may seem arbitrary but its design allows for the last pitch be brilliantly placed on beat one with a perfect authentic cadence.  Everything up to this point is again accompanied with a piano dynamic marking.
171-172	First 2 bars of A	The conclusion of the piece comes after a triple grand pause followed by the first two measures of Theme A, again a 10-note fragment, giving an absolute antithetical version of what we expect for a grand finale; the final phrase is played pianissimo with violin I articulating the last three notes of the piece alone.

 

The 6 String Quartets that form Opus 33 of Haydn’s output were described by the composer as being written in “an entirely new and special style.”  Historical evidence suggests that beyond what he was describing musically, this statement may have been a marketing ploy in an effort to get these pieces published.  This provides us with an interesting look into the life of a musician of the late Eighteenth century, especially one who struggled financially early in his career.  It also hints at the unfair wages of the patronage system for musicians despite the seeming luxury of having a full time position in music. 

The new and interesting style that Haydn was describing is a method of scoring that gave relative equality to all four string parts without the employment of any sort of strict compositional or mathematical device.  Parts were free to come to the fore or recced to the background at any time.  This was indeed a new style and one that seems to fit perfectly within the Eighteenth century’s literary model of prose, rather than poetry, as a prevailing standard. 

Opus 33, No. 2 is a good example of this scoring, except for the movement described above.  A quick look at any of the other movements clearly illustrate a new texture and design. Compared to the other movements, the fourth movement, with its frequent unison or octave doubling of the two lowest parts and Violin I’s predominant melodic role, appears to be in a much older style that seems to reflect more how this music grew out of the trio sonata than it does in justifying an unprecedented style.  It seems that this is part of the “joke.”  Was Haydn mocking an older style knowing that he had devised something that would completely revolutionize the genre?

Another question that came up when researching this piece was “Is Haydn using this piece to state a subtle protest against social hierarchy?”  Or at the very least poking fun at the aristocracy in a way that would not harm his place within the patronage system?  This may seem like a stretch but if you consider the political and economic concerns of the time, there was an ever-growing amount of revolutionary thought demonstrated in publications such as Rousseau’s The Social Contract.  The key of the piece is in the traditional “heroic” Eb major.  It seems peculiar that this is coupled with an obvious farcical treatment of the last movement.  Vienna was consistently under the threat of attack by the Ottoman Empire and Russia, who, throughout its history, fought many wars with the Ottoman Empire, would often help defend Vienna.  When countries or territories are working together against a common enemy it often comes at a price that trickles down to the middle class population.  What price was Vienna paying for protection from Russia and what resentment did its middle class hold against them?  Was the whole event that took place during Christmas of 1781 just another display of aristocratic grandeur with political deals being made “behind the curtain?”  Another possibility is that because it is impossible for everyone to agree with a new monarch perhaps this (theoretical) subtle protest was directed at Joseph II who just a year prior rose as the sole regent of the Habsburg Monarchy, previously sharing duties without any true authority, alongside his mother, Maria Theresa.

Documentation exists of a similar practice in African music centered on the dance that became known as the Cake Walk.  Periodic ceremonies were held where it was acceptable, in fact encouraged, to make fun of a tribe’s leaders without any punishment.  The winner was awarded with a “cake.”  This practice trickled down into early African-American music which gave slaves the opportunity to make fun of their captors who were never fully aware of the ridicule.  

Another potential musical joke is the absence of C minor tonality, the relative minor of Eb.  This would regularly be a composer’s first choice for modulation in sonata form from this period.

On a musical level the melodic material found within this piece exemplifies the influence of Rameau’s Traite de l’harmonie.  Rather than the usual stepwise motion with the occasional leap of vocal lines, the melody here contains melodic fragments that are harmonically derived which is evident in their overall contour which includes many more leaps, usually those found in triads. 

The above listening guide contains a lot of detail in regards to articulation, melodic description, harmony, form, texture, scoring, rhythm, tonal centers, etc.  Why?  A paradigm shift in the aesthetic considerations of this music versus that of the past found composers using every detail of the music to highlight significant moments.  Therefore it is necessary to investigate all of the components that they would have considered in writing it.  Furthermore, there are so many questions that arise in music, in general, whose answers can be found in the music itself.  This is so often overlooked by students, and many professional perhaps, who are hoping to devise a convincing performance of a piece without ever doing a harmonic or melodic analysis of the music.  I dare say it is impossible to ever have a level of experience that would allow such neglect.