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The series was continued last night with a consideration of Haydn and Mozart. The tendency in music had begun to be from objective to subjective ideas, from the general to the personal. Vocal music is the objective, and came first; then came instrumental giving freer play to the unrestricted imagination of the writer. The older music was peculiarly formal; the musician had to precede the poet in working out the shape and form of which more beautiful ideas should be presented. Bach was the first to direct these architectural forms of their stiffness, then came Haydn and Mozart, his logical successors.
Under them the polyphonic forms were less prominent, and more attention was given to sonata, symphony, etc. Haydn was the first to create classical works in these forms; the string quartette he carried to high perfection, and began the development of symphony. Mozart marks an advance upon Haydn. His symphonies are richer, and express greater intensity of feeling; his genius was more versatile and far reaching.
The illustrations of the lecture were given by the Campanari string quartette. They played two quartettes by Haydn, illustrating his earlier and his later more advanced style, and one by Mozart. The playing of the first was not all that could have been desired, showing considerable roughness and lack of finish; the Mozart was more satisfactory.
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