What name was given to Haydn's symphony No. 96 as a result of a chandelier falling and narrowly missing the audience at its first performance?
Symphony No. 96 (Haydn) Symphony No. 96 (Haydn) The Symphony No. 96 in D major, Hoboken I/96, was completed by Joseph Haydn in 1791 as part of the set of symphonies composed on his first trip to London. It was first performed at the Hanover Square Rooms in London on 11 March 1791. Although it is the fourth of the twelve London symphonies (numbers 93–104) by number, it was actually the first one written and performed. It is popularly known as the Miracle Symphony. Symphony No. 96 has been called the Miracle symphony due to the story that, during its premiere, a chandelier fell
Symphony No. 96 (Haydn) from the ceiling of the concert hall in which it was performed. The audience managed to dodge the chandelier successfully as they had all crowded to the front for the post-performance applause, and the symphony got its nickname from this. More careful and recent research suggests that this event actually took place during the premiere of his Symphony No. 102. The work is in standard four movement form and scored for two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings. The first movement is in sonata form. Following a slow introduction, the first theme of the