What happens to the musicians during the final movement of Haydn's 'Farewell' Symphony?

During the final movement of Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony, the musicians leave one by one. Each departing player stops playing, snuffs out the candle on the music stand, and quietly leaves the stage.

The symphony is officially Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp minor, written by Joseph Haydn in 1772 while he served Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. The prince had kept the orchestra at his remote summer palace longer than expected, separating the musicians from their families. Haydn used the performance to communicate their request to return home without making a direct appeal.

The finale begins as a forceful, fast movement before unexpectedly shifting into a slow adagio. The orchestra gradually becomes thinner as the players depart. The first oboe and second horn leave early, followed by other wind players, the double bass, cello, violins, and viola.

Only two violinists remain to finish the piece: Haydn himself and the concertmaster Luigi Tomasini. The unusual ending explains the symphony’s nickname, “Farewell.” In ordinary performances, the candle-snuffing stage business may be omitted, but the musical structure still preserves the joke and the message.