Emperors & Armies

Skye McIntosh - Artistic Director
Australian Haydn Ensemble

A program inspired by eighteenth century leaders and armies including Haydn’s Emperor quartet and Military symphony.

Boccherini's playful flute quintet Las Parejas (The Couples) opens our season. The title refers to a Spanish horse race in which two horsemen ride hand in hand. Boccherini infuses the quintet with a military flavour, reminiscent of his famous work Night Streets of Madrid.

Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 76 No. 3 The Emperor, one of his most famous, takes its nickname from the beautiful second movement set of variations based on the theme of ‘Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser’ (God Save Emperor Francis), an anthem Haydn wrote for Emperor Francis II. Along with this, the Ensemble performs Mozart’s string quartet The First Prussian dedicated to the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm II, an amateur cellist.

AHE also presents Salomon’s compelling chamber arrangement of Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 nicknamed The Military. Over the past seven years, the Ensemble has explored many of the chamber versions of Haydn’s London Symphonies arranged by his dear friend Salomon and we are excited to bring this one to our audiences in 2020.