Description
This is one of Haydn's early keyboard works, called a partita in keeping with the naming conventions of the period. Its writing is lighter and more approachable than his later, weightier sonatas, still carrying the character of entertainment music enjoyed in aristocratic households. Several contrasting movements are strung together, decorated with graceful melodic lines. Running over thirteen minutes, it calls for a steady, elegant touch throughout.
Suite-form works from the Baroque era; Bach's Partitas, a sequence of varied dances, are ranked among the greatest keyboard works.
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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