I found Haydn’s “Joke” to be quite enjoyable and light-hearted as a piece. In many ways the piece offers much to the listener. For example, the composition itself, in its purpose to build up to the end where we meet the punchline. Having the piece structure as a joke allows us to appreciate the piece intellectually as a complete work in addition to the various nuances. The statement of the work being a joke, playing with the audience and with norms of the era, is interesting to look at as it engages with the audience and the time particularly, yet remains timeless through the technique that it uses. To that end the work remains interesting and, in my opinion, timeless.

In terms of specifics, the work maintains a bouncy, whimsical melody, being played in major with quick notes making it sound bouncy. It crescendos and then very calmly comes down. The piece slows down in the second and especially early in the third movement, but then becomes very fast at the final movement, from which it garners its name. In the third movement, it seems like we see many of the same “bouncy elements” and generally major key, but in a more refined, slower way. Although it may sound odd, up to this point I imagined the metaphor of someone starting as a young boisterous child and then growing up and maturing but maintaining the spirit of youth.  In the next movement we go back to the quick, upbeat, boisterous childhood, which I initially interpreted as the joke.  However, as I listened it seemed at many points the piece would end, but it went on almost rambling going back to the same point despite its divergence throughout. After several times this seemed comical and the title finally made sense. then as it abruptly would stop midway it seemed like the joke running on, until it finally did end on what seemed like a place that wouldn’t make sense. On that end I think Haydn did a wonderful job. While its interesting to think about the relation of a work and its title, I imagine for audiences at the time it would be clear what Haydn is doing. His title serves to enable someone far less sophisticated to get in on the joke.