The Symphony No. 20 in C major (Hoboken I/20) is a festiveAntony Hodgson, The Music of Joseph Haydn: The Symphonies. London: The Tantivy Press (1976): 57. symphony by Joseph Haydn. Hodgson places the composition date in either 1761 or 1762(Hodgson, 1976): 202. while Brown states that it was likely composed before 1761.A. Peter Brown, The first golden age of the Viennese symphony: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, p. 47. Indiana University Press, 2002. , 9780253334879 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 that it is festive, like C major Symphonies 32, 33, and 37.
The symphony is scored for two oboes, bassoon, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, strings, and continuo.H. C. Robbins Landon, The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn. London: Universal Edition & Rockliff (1955): 645. "2 ob., 2 cor. (C, prob. alto), 2 clarini (trpt.), timp. str. [ fag., cemb. ]."
It is in four movements:
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.
References