Description
This partita reflects the bright, open sound typical of Haydn's early keyboard music. It combines the light, galant melodic style of the period with traces of the simpler harpsichord writing still common at the time, offering a glimpse of the composer before his symphonic ambitions fully emerged. Spanning over eleven minutes across several contrasting movements, it rewards a pianist with a clean, well-articulated touch.
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.
View all works by Haydn →