Symphony No. 82 in C 'L'Ours' (The Bear) (Hob. I:82; critical ed.): Full Orchestra, Score and Parts

This critical edition gives you Haydn's Paris symphonies as they were actually performed in 1787, not as later editions assumed they should be. Robbins Landon's careful scholarship means your orchestra plays from parts that reflect what Haydn wrote and what the Concerts de la Loge Olympique heard, complete with the expanded brass writing that makes the finale's famous bear growl so effective.

Energetic, witty, and grandly proportioned. The first movement surges with the confidence of a composer who now had a larger ensemble and more sophisticated audience at his disposal. The slow movement breathes with elegance, while the finale kicks into a barnyard carnival, full of humor and rhythmic verve.

Orchestras and school symphonies ready to explore the Paris Symphonies with confidence in their text. Conductors seeking authentic instrumentation and scholarly apparatus will find this critical edition essential for period-informed rehearsal and performance.

• Bring out the drone-like bass ostinato in the finale; this is the musical joke that earned the nickname. Let cellos and basses lock into a rhythmic groove that audiences immediately recognize as the dancing bear.
• Balance the trumpet and timpani carefully in the first and last movements. These were relatively novel additions for Haydn at the time, and they should shine without overwhelming the string writing.
• Shape the slow movement with long, singing lines; the contrast between the outer movements and this lyrical center defines the symphony's architecture.
• Use the critical edition's articulation and dynamic markings as your guide. Robbins Landon's text clarifies details that manuscript study revealed, giving you performance choices grounded in historical evidence.

Program this alongside other Paris Symphonies (such as No. 83 or No. 84) to showcase Haydn's treatment of similar forces across the set, or pair it with classical-era symphonies by Mozart to illustrate how composers were responding to similar commissioning and performance contexts. Its memorable character and lighter finale make it an excellent audience opener that demonstrates Haydn's wit and theatrical instinct.

• Reading and executing authentic articulation and dynamic markings from critical editions
• Balancing expanded brass and timpani against string sections in Classical-era orchestration
• Shaping lyrical slow movements with sustained phrasing and careful voice-leading
• Recognizing and performing the stylistic humor and character writing that defines Haydn's symphonic voice