What do Papa Haydn and Peter Bay Have in Common?
Guest Author Maria Flurry, timpanist, Arizona Philharmonic

Four decades ago, I first performed under Maestro Peter Bay’s baton in the Annapolis Symphony. In each of the dozens of performances with him since then, from both the Aspen and Hot Springs Music Festivals to Arizona Philharmonic, I have heard musician conversations backstage turn to Peter’s artistry and the ease of working with him.

When I learned that Peter had chosen Josef Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony” for this week’s program, my immediate question was, “Peter isn’t leaving us, is he?”

After all, the “Farewell Symphony” has been programmed at pivotal moments in the histories of other orchestras. For instance, as the finishing touches were put on the magnificent Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, that city’s Philharmonic played the “Farewell Symphony” in the final concert in their home of almost 40 years, the Dorothy Chandler Pavillon.

Fortunately, Peter Bay is not signaling that this is his farewell to Arizona Philharmonic!

Instead, Peter is bringing to Prescott a chance to hear this shining example of Haydn's first major stage of expressive maturity. I am looking forward to this performance specifically because Peter is conducting it, for I find a delightful parallel between Haydn’s musical identity and Peter’s interpretive style: they are both rich in clarity and expressiveness.

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He wrote 107 symphonies as well as 83 string quartets, 45 piano trios, 62 piano sonatas, 14 masses and 26 operas, and countless other scores. 

While the origin story of Haydn’s 1772 “Farewell Symphony” is charming^†, it unknowingly laid the groundwork for the effusive Romantic era that blossomed in the following century. In his “Farewell Symphony”, Herr Haydn introduced orchestral music to a broader emotional spectrum of dramatic changes in volume and abrupt shifts from soloists to full ensemble. 

In the video after this article, please treat yourself to a 2-minute listen to part of the third movement. The score (shown in the video) reveals Haydn’s skill in balancing solo violin and horn passages with full orchestra moments.

The playful “Papa” Haydn encouraged his musicians out of their comfort zone by choosing the unusual keys of f# minor and F# Major. He did all this while planted firmly in his characteristic clarity of expression. Haydn carefully considered every note and placed each one at precisely the right time in the music’s flow. Through his reasoned Classical touch, we find no clutter between us and the sheer delight of this music’s poignant, playful, yet solid character. Haydn’s artful precision is evident in his manuscripts, like this one written in his own hand:

In a musical parallel, Peter lays a vibrant yet clear foundation for musicians to combine with him their interpretations and reach the full expression of a piece. For instance, for the recent performance of Beethoven’s 4th, Peter greeted each musician at the first rehearsal with an ease and confidence that comes from the detailed study and preparation of each note for each instrument akin the Haydn’s rigorous compositional approach. Maestro Bay had considered the needs of every musician and perhaps planned a few technical gestures specific to this music and AZ Phil’s personnel. Peter commenced the rehearsal with his relaxed smile and clear technique and quickly dispersed the clutter between the musicians and the essence of the music. I felt the group grow into a clear, welcoming space. Within a few bars of the rehearsal, I watched Peter make a few adjustments, saw the musicians begin to move together, and knew the performance was going to achieve new heights for AZ Phil.

This Sunday, January 7, at 3 pm, with composer Franz Josef Haydn and Maestro Peter Bay’s combined clarity, skill, and charm plus the sparkling acoustics of Ruth Street Theater, we may experience yet another musical high point in the life of the Arizona Philharmonic.

- Maria Flurry, Principal Timpanist

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