Evening Masterwork: Haydn’s 102nd Symphony

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809)

Symphony No. 102 in B-flat by Franz Joseph Haydn

Evening Masterwork for October 30, 2019 – 7:00 PM on Classical WSMR 89.1 and 103.9

The Symphony No. 102 in B-flat by Franz Joseph Haydn is surprisingly underperformed. Surprising, because ever since the premiere of this work, critics have regarded it as one of the best -if not the best – symphony that Haydn wrote. Also, even though though 96th Symphony is known as the “Miracle” symphony, it was actually at the premiere of the 102nd that a chandelier fell into the audience, prompting folks to yell “it’s a miracle!” once they realized no one was hurt. The Symphony No. 102 is a symphony that is right in line with other works Haydn was writing at the time, in terms of the form and style, and it’s our Evening Masterwork tonight at 7 on Classical WSMR.