Symphony No. 20 (Haydn) Explained

The Symphony No. 20 in C major (Hoboken I/20) is a festive^[1] symphony by Joseph Haydn. Hodgson places the composition date in either 1761 or 1762^[2] while Brown states that it was likely composed before 1761.^[3] Calvin Stapert affirmatively states that it was composed in the group of 15 symphonies within Haydn's tenure with Count Morzin (1757 - March 1761). And is festive, like C major Symphonies 32, 33, and 37.^[4] It is scored for 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, strings and continuo.^[5] The symphony is in four movements:

1. Allegro molto,
2. Andante cantabile, in G major
   1. Minuetto (C major) & Trio, F major Presto,

The winds are silent in the serenade-like second movement with the melody in the first violins, broken chords in the second violins and a pizzicato bassline.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Antony Hodgson, The Music of Joseph Haydn: The Symphonies. London: The Tantivy Press (1976): 57.
2. (Hodgson, 1976): 202.
3. A. Peter Brown, The first golden age of the Viennese symphony: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, p. 47. Indiana University Press, 2002., 9780253334879
4. Book: Stapert, Calvin. Playing Before the Lord- Life of Joseph Haydn. 2014. 35.
5. [H. C. Robbins Landon]