Haydn: Piano Sonatas

Featuring

Kristian Bezuidenhout
Joseph Haydn

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Instruments

Kristian Bezuidenhout performs on a fortepiano made by Paul McNulty in 2009, modeled after an Anton Walter & Sohn instrument from 1805.

Composer Biography

Haydn dedicated his Sonata in C minor Hob. XVI:20 to Franziska and Marianne von Auenbrugger, two highly regarded Viennese pianists, whose approval he valued greatly.

Composition History

Haydn's Variations in F minor (Hob XVII:6) were ironically titled 'Un piccolo divertimento' (A little divertimento) by the composer, despite their significant virtuosity and dramatic depth.

Cultural Impact

Haydn's melody 'Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser' (God preserve Emperor Franz), originally a patriotic homage, later became the German national anthem.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Haydn's compositional process relied heavily on improvisation, often discovering or inventing musical ideas by 'fantasizing' at the keyboard.

Compositional Technique

The first movement of Haydn's Sonata in C major Hob. XVI:48 departs from conventional forms, functioning as a blend of variation and free fantasy, developing a single brief motif.

Interpretation

Kristian Bezuidenhout, the fortepiano player, aims to blur the lines between improvisation, composition, and performance, creating a deliberately unstable and mercurial musical world.