The discovery of Haydn’s C major Cello Concerto in 1961 among piles of manuscripts in the National Museum in Prague counts as one of the great musical finds of our time. With the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia and Hungary after World War II, vast holdings from private libraries were carted away and deposited in the Museum, making them accessible to scholars—if they could wade through the enormous amount of uncatalogued material.

The Cello Concerto was unearthed by O. Pulkert, one of the Museum’s librarians, as a set of manuscript parts once held by the counts of Kolovrat-Krakovský. Its authenticity was immediately confirmed by Haydn scholars, principally because of the entry in Haydn’s own Entwurf-Katalog, which included starting themes of his works. The first modern performance took place on May 19, 1962, by cellist Miloš Sádlo, with Charles Mackerras conducting the Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Haydn probably wrote the Concerto for Joseph Weigl, star cellist of the Esterházy orchestra from 1761 to 1769 and close friend of Haydn. Though the Concerto cannot be dated precisely, scholars have suggested c. 1761–65, based on its position in the catalog and the manuscript’s paper type. The Concerto’s opportunities for virtuosic display—like those of the solo cello parts in the three symphonies, “Le matin,” “Le midi,” and “Le soir”—speak well for Weigl’s skills as a cellist. Today’s version of the sparkling finale for four cellos, arranged by Douglas Moore, admirably allows the solo cello part to shine against the three-cello accompaniment, which itself emphasizes the instrument’s ability in range and varied character to mimic the entire orchestral accompaniment.

A substantial opening tutti (section for the full ensemble) introduces the finale’s main theme, supported by repeated eighth notes, whose frequent recurrence provides much of the movement’s driving energy. The soloist’s entrance on a long held note eventually erupts into a rising scale. The movement contains no cadenza as had the first two movements, but the virtuosic writing in the solo episodes provides ample opportunity for display.

—©Jane Vial Jaffe