Haydn: Piano Sonatas (The 1960 and 2007 Recordings)

Featuring

Hans Leygraf
Joseph Haydn

Did you know?

1/7

Performer Biography

Hans Leygraf, the pianist, was born in Stockholm in 1920 and began piano studies at age six with Gottfrid Boon, a student of Artur Schnabel.

Recording & Production

This album combines Hans Leygraf's 1960 radio recordings of Haydn's piano sonatas with new recordings he made in 2007, creating a unique historical perspective.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Haydn claimed that the sonatas of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, a prominent harpsichordist, were a revelation to him and greatly influenced his own works.

Composer Biography

Joseph Haydn, born during the transition from Baroque to Classicism, had to earn a living as an entertainment musician in Vienna from a young age.

Composer Biography

Haydn's employment contract in 1761 as Kapellmeister for the Esterházy princely house required him to lead the orchestra and singers, and compose music for the local opera and orchestra.

Performer Biography

Hans Leygraf held a full professorship at the Mozarteum Music Academy in Salzburg from 1972 until September 2007, leading an international soloist class.

Performer Biography

Hans Leygraf made his international breakthrough in 1947 and went on to perform annually across Europe, the former Soviet Union, East Asia, and North America.