"The Harmonious Blacksmith" is not a highly developed piece of music, for it lacks one essential element—in an instrumental piece as long as this there should be some germination. The several variations of this melody are merely slightly altered versions of the original idea; in highly developed specimens of this form each variation is a new creation germinated from the parent thought.
IV. HAYDN'S ANDANTE WITH VARIATIONS IN F-MINOR.
Reference has already been made in our chapter on "The Rondo" to the great advance in pianoforte music brought about by Philip Emanuel Bach and Haydn, but Haydn's Andante with Variations in F-minor is still more mature than any of the pieces to which we referred. In fact, this Andante is Haydn's most charming pianoforte piece, uniting as it does the best of his qualities. It is the first composition in homophonic style we have studied in which the interest of the listener is constantly engaged from beginning to end. There are here no bald repetitions, as in the Rondo of Mozart, no meaningless accompaniment figures, no conventional endings, but from first to last Haydn tempts us onward by constantly unfolding new beauties, yet never leaves us vaguely wandering, doubtful of our starting point. In short, this andante is a fine example of a well organized piece of music; it is full of variety, yet its unity is unmistakable.
EXAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS, No. 11.
Haydn: Andante with Variations in F-Minor.
It is unusual for a variation theme to be in two distinct parts, as is the case here. The chief theme in F-minor is followed by a "trio" theme in F-major of quite a distinct character. This is one of the many interesting experiments of Haydn in devising new forms or combining old ones. The weakness of this arrangement is that the whole theme is a little too long; it lacks the conciseness that is necessary to a theme that is to be treated in a long series of variations. The trio theme is also less interesting than the first theme and does not lend itself so readily to variations.
An important principle of musical development is involved here. It will be found from an examination of the music of the great composers that the most perfect lyric melodies do not germinate, whereas themes like the first theme of this andante, the first theme of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony—which are not by any means beautiful lyric melodies—are pregnant with possibilities. Any perfect melody like "Annie Laurie," for example, is a complete thing; nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. The two themes just mentioned, on the contrary, are made up of motives which are characterized by some individual quality and which contain certain potentialities that are realized only as the piece progresses. And in general it may be noted that the distinctly lyric composers, such as Schubert, Schumann, and Grieg, have not been conspicuously successful in those larger forms where this principle is most operative.
The little motive of five notes with which the right hand part of the andante by Haydn begins illustrates this. There is hardly a measure of the original theme and of its variations in which this motive is not heard, and the variety Haydn imparts to it is quite remarkable. The trio theme, on the other hand, is more lyric—more song-like, and, as a consequence, we find the variations consist of elaborate ornamentations of the theme rather than of new ideas germinated from it.
Variation I is a particularly interesting example of Haydn's style. The syncopation in the right hand part, with its delicacy of utterance, and its occasional tender poignancy (as at measure 52) gives to this portion of the piece an unusual charm. The transposition of the syncopation to the left hand (at measure 56) is particularly interesting because of the delicate dissonances that result. The passage at measures 83-88 might almost have been written by Rameau or Couperin, so full is it of trills and other ornaments. This is in the old harpsichord style of the generation before Haydn.