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Haydn's String Quartet, Op. 33, No. 2 Analysis

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I will review a performance of ‘Haydn’s String Quartet, Op.33, No. 2 “The Joke” IV. Presto’ from you tube. It is performed by University of North-Texas String departmental and the web address is; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDkWBzH6dkE.
I will refer to the music from the score in ‘Norton Anthology of Western Music’, Vol. 2, 7th edition, J. Burkholder & C. Palisca.

Joseph Haydn composed his String Quartet in E-Flat Major in the summer and fall of 1781. It is one of six quartets of Op. 33 which were first premiered in Vienna on the 25th of December, 1981. It is performed by a string quartet, a first and second violin, viola and a cello, which is considered the finest type of chamber music. It is said that Haydn is known as ‘The Father …show more content…

It is played in a homophonic texture with the first violin leading and the other instruments accompanying with the same rhythm. Each instruments remains separate but the first and second violin play parallel thirds, sixths and tenths at time mark ‘0.12’ or bar 9. There are imitative entries present in the piece where the violin melody is taken up by other instruments seen at ‘2.32 to 2.40’, bar 112 to 119. Double stopping is a string technique used in which two notes are played at the same time which can be seen in the ending Adagio section, ‘3.13, bar 149’. In reference to dynamics, this piece starts off with Piano as we are introduced to the theme. Sforzando can be seen marked throughout the piece and emphasises strong beats in phrases. Crescendos and Diminuendo’s can be seen, for example in bar 96, time ‘2.15’ there is a crescendo building frim piano. The Adagio at ‘3.13’, bar 149 starts with a strong forte with quick diminuendo to piano while the joke ends on pianissimo. Throughout the melody we can see articulation with use of short slurs and use of staccato. There are scale and arpeggio patterns best seen in bar 17-21, ‘0.26-0.33’ as well as passing notes, bar 3, ‘0.06’ and grace notes, bar 31, ‘0.42’. Tonic and Dominant chords are used frequently throughout and can be seen in the opening phrase going from Eb to Bb to Eb, Ι to V to Ι. The piece ends in a perfect

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