Symphony No. 90 in C major, Hoboken I/90, was written by Joseph Haydn in 1788 as part of a three-symphony commission by Comte d'Ogny for the Concerts de la Loge Olympique. It is occasionally referred to as The Letter R – referring to an older method of cataloguing Haydn's symphonic output.
Movements
The symphony is in standard four-movement form and scored for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, continuo (harpsichord) and strings.
- Adagio — Allegro assai, 3
4 - Andante, 2
4 - Menuetto: Allegretto, 3
4 - Finale: Allegro assai, 2
4
The second movement is in double variation form.
The finale contains one of Haydn's more famous jokes. Soon after the recapitulation starts, the music arrives at a rousing and unexpected "ending" in C major followed by four measures of silence which leads the audience to believe the symphony may have actually finished. Instead, the first theme quietly resumes in the remote key of D♭ major.