One of the most daunting
tasks in classical music is navigating the symphonic output of Joseph Haydn,
the so-called “father” of the symphony. For most composers, the symphony is the
most august, serious, philosophical statement one can make in music. A symphony
is like a four-act play, with each act/movement capturing something of the
struggle of being human, or of contemplating the divine. Even a light-hearted
symphony is written ‘big,’ for the gargantuan modern symphony orchestra (often
over one hundred players strong) and made to sound like the entire universe is
singing. For this reason, many composers wait until middle-age to tackle a
symphony, if only because the greatest composers are in their rear-view mirror,
seeming hoarding the best themes, structures, and innovations.
