Symphony No. 8 in G, Hob.I:8 "Le Soir"

The symphony unfolds in four movements, each built to let individual players step forward from the ensemble.

I. Allegro molto opens without a slow introduction, launching straight into a bright, dance-like theme passed between strings and winds, with the flute and violin trading brief solo turns.

II. Andante follows in a more intimate mood, scored for a smaller group so that solo violin, cello and bassoon lines can be heard clearly against soft accompaniment, like a conversation among a few voices rather than the full orchestra.

III. Menuet is a stately triple-time dance; listen for the central trio section, where a solo bassoon and double bass are given an unusually exposed, almost comic duet against the delicate strings.

IV. La Tempesta: Presto, the famous finale, depicts a sudden storm. Rapid, rushing string figures, sudden dynamic swells, and darting woodwind flashes suggest wind and rain, before the music settles and the storm passes as quickly as it arrived. Throughout, keep an ear out for how Haydn treats his players almost as soloists in a chamber group, a hallmark of his early years leading the Esterhazy court orchestra.

Haydn composed this symphony in 1761, shortly after joining the Esterhazy court as vice-Kapellmeister. It is the third of a trio of symphonies, alongside No. 6 "Le Matin" (morning) and No. 7 "Le Midi" (midday), that together trace the course of a single day. The nicknames were attached early, reflecting the vivid, almost pictorial character of the music, and the finale's musical depiction of a storm gave the symphony its title, "Le Soir" (evening). Haydn wrote the trilogy for the excellent instrumentalists in Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy's new orchestra, and the many prominent solo passages throughout likely showcased those individual players. The symphonies were probably first performed at the Esterhazy court in Eisenstadt. They remain among the most performed of Haydn's early symphonies, valued for their inventive orchestration and vivid character.