“Romanze” written by Franz Joseph Haydn was originally from his symphony No. 85, “La Reine”. Here It is arranged for QUARTET. This is one of the few pieces where the ensemble must be split into four parts. This is a beautiful work with many of the “tongue-in-cheek” turns of phrase that Haydn is known for. “Romanze” works as a straight Level 4 piece or as an upper level piece with slurs. The most challenging part of this piece comes in measure sixteen with a short change of position in parts 3 and 4. Sequence this section carefully making sure that everyone is comfortable getting in and out of these measures.
Cultural/Historical Context:
Franz Joseph Haydn is one of the most famous Classical Period composers. He is most famous for his “Surprise” Symphony, which demonstrates his musical humor, as well as his numerous string quartets. Structure a listening lesson that includes Symphony No. 85 and the “Surprise” Symphony. This would be a good opportunity to teach form and to talk about humor in music.