Haydn’s sonata in G major, Hob. XVI:6, published as a “Partita,” is unique among the dozens he wrote, as the only one in four movements. Its scope and ambition are a lot greater than those of many early sonatas, one of which I discussed a while ago. It was published in 1766, at the same […]

A while ago I discussed the qualities and quirks of an early, short, and not too significant C major sonata by Haydn. The C major Haydn sonata I discuss this time is a formidable and masterful work. There are two important sonatas Haydn wrote in this key, a late one, written in London (Hob. XVI:50), […]

Few things can be more thrilling than going through a volume of Haydn sonatas. You open a random page and find a masterpiece that you can’t imagine not having known before. Although Haydn has distinct characteristics that appear in many of his works, each sonata has something unique to offer. This week, however, I want […]