Symphony No. 59 (Haydn)

The Symphony No. 59 in A major is a relatively early work by Joseph Haydn that is known popularly as the Fire Symphony.

Despite its high number, the symphony is one of several in the Hoboken classification system (Symphony No. 72 is another good example as it was composed even earlier) that is egregiously out of place. It is, in fact, a quite early work, certainly composed before 1769, and possibly a fair bit earlier. By contrast, the Symphony No. 62 was written in 1780.

The date of its first performance is unknown.

The symphony has long been popularly known as the Feuer or Fire symphony. As with most other monikers attached to Haydn's symphonies, the name itself did not originate with the composer. For a long time, the attributed title was thought to refer to the fiery nature of the composition, particularly the rather unusually spirited first movement (marked Presto, a tempo indication more typical of final movements) and the brief but energetic last movement, which features prominent horn fanfares and corruscating runs on the strings. However, there is nothing particularly distinguishing about any of the movements that would make it more impassioned than other symphonic compositions by Haydn during this period.

Instead, the nickname almost certainly derives from the use of several movements as accompanying music to a performance of the play Der Feuersbrunst by Gustav Friedrich Wilhelm Großmann, which was performed at Eszterháza in either (depending on the source) 1774 or 1778. An extant manuscript of the symphony dating from Haydn's lifetime bears the title Feueur Sinfonia. Earlier claims that the symphony originated first as theatrical music (like the Symphony No. 60 Il Distratto) are inaccurate.

The work is in standard four movement form and scored for two oboes, two horns, continuo (bassoon, harpsichord) and strings.

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