Description
Believed to date from around 1773, this sonata belongs to a group of works from the same period that display Haydn's evolving middle-period keyboard style. Alongside the open sonority of C major, it features decorative passagework and dialogue-like phrase exchanges. At around twenty minutes, it is substantial for its era and offers plenty of musical interest. With over 8,600 notes, sustaining tension across its considerable length demands real stamina from advanced players.
Sonatas across a range of instrumentations, including piano parts from violin sonatas, spanning Classical to Romantic styles.
About the Composer
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Franz Joseph Haydn was a leading Classical-era composer from Austria who spent much of his career in service to the Esterhazy family. Often called the "father of the symphony" and the "father of the string quartet," he helped establish the Viennese Classical style with clear forms and witty invention. His numerous keyboard sonatas also served as a bridge to Mozart and Beethoven. This site includes 60 of his works, including movements from Sonatas Hob. XVI:27 and 28.
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