Haydn: Airs, Variations and Dances

Featuring

Ronald Brautigam
Ingo Petry
Joseph Haydn

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Haydn, like most composers of his era, did not always specify a particular keyboard instrument for his works, leaving various performance possibilities open.

Cultural Impact

The theme of Haydn's Variations on 'Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser' served as the Austrian national anthem for many years and later became the German national anthem with the text 'Deutschland, Deutschland über alles'.

Performer Biography

Ronald Brautigam, the fortepiano performer on this album, was awarded the Netherlands Music Prize in 1984 and has a particular interest in Mozart's music for the instrument.

Composition History

Haydn's numerous minuets, many of which exist in keyboard versions, suggest that the minuet was more popular in the Prince's household where he was court composer than in Mozart's circles.

Composer Biography

Joseph Haydn lived more than twice as long as Mozart; when Haydn was born, Bach and Handel were active, and when he died, Beethoven had already composed his 'Pastoral' Symphony.

Composition History

Haydn composed a significant number of piano pieces for various reasons, often as teaching pieces or for entertainment, in addition to his sonatas.

Instruments

Ronald Brautigam performs on a fortepiano by Paul McNulty, made in Amsterdam in 1992, modeled after an Anton Gabriel Walter instrument from around 1795.