This symphony is one of six that Haydn wrote for a concert series in Paris, called Concerts de la Loge Olympique, in 1785-86. The Paris orchestra was about twice the size of what Haydn was used to at home in Eszterháza, Hungary, and even though Haydn wasn’t able to travel to Paris in person, what he knew about the possibilities in the French capital was enough to give him inspiration. The six works written for Paris (Nos. 82-87) ushered in a whole new era in Haydn’s career as a composer of symphonies, and prepared the ground for his final twelve symphonies, (Nos. 93-104) written in the course of the following decade, for performances in London.
Even though the present symphony was given the number 82 in the catalog and thus stands at the beginning of the Paris set, it was actually the last of the six in the order of composition. In many ways, it is the most grandiose piece in the set. The melodic material and the orchestration are even more refined and sophisticated than before. As in many of his works written in C major, Haydn uses trumpets and timpani prominently. There is some disagreement over whether the brass parts should be played by a pair of horns, a pair of trumpets, or both, as the sources are ambiguous in this regard. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that the first movement is exceptionally festive and celebratory. Its structure is tightly woven, with many subtle motivic links between the different sections. The development section is more eventful than in many other works, and the richness of the musical ideas is manifest at every turn.
The slow movement is written in the so-called “double-variation” form that Haydn was particularly fond of, especially in his later years. There are two alternating themes, one in major and one in minor, and they are subjected to variations in turn (Theme 1 – Theme 2 – Variation on Theme 1 – Variation on Theme 2 – Variation on Theme 1 with coda). There is a brief syncopated passage in the coda with a bass drone that anticipates the bagpipe (the “bear dance”) in the finale.
First, however, we hear the usual minuet and trio, which in this case revisit the festive mood of the first movement. The trio section is more laid back, but it includes a surprisingly extensive development in its own middle section.
The symphony owes its nickname to the main melody of the last movement which, through the persistent drone in the bass, evokes associations with an old European custom, where a bear was led to the main square of the village on a chain as a Shrovetide attraction. The development of this melody is as varied and ingenious as anything in this great symphony.
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