Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony” is one of the most frequently played works of the symphonic repertoire. The popular title did not derive from the composer but refers to the final movement, at the end of which (Adagio) the musicians stop playing one after the other, leaving only two violins to end the work. According to an anecdote, the musicians’ exit was a means of making reference to the demands of orchestral work at Esterháza at the end of the season.

The publication of Haydn’s “Sturm und Dran...