Surprise Symphony, byname of Symphony No. 94 in G Major, orchestral work by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, so named for the “surprise”—a startlingly loud chord—that interrupts the otherwise soft and gentle flow of the second movement. The distinctive feature did not appear in the original score. Rather, it was added by the composer on a whim for the piece’s London premiere on March 23, 1792, and was retained in later performances.
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Surprise Symphony, byname of Symphony No. 94 in G Major, orchestral work by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, so named for the “surprise”—a startlingly loud chord—that interrupts the otherwise soft and gentle flow of the second movement. The distinctive feature did not appear in the original score. Rather, it was added by the composer on a whim for the piece’s London premiere on March 23, 1792, and was retained in later performances.