Haydn’s subtly orchestral Adagio
The orchestral nature of music written for keyboard is one of the first things young pianists learn about the music they play as they use their ten fingers to imitate various sections of the orchestra. Naturally, because of its percussive character, the piano is less suitable to imitating the human human voice than string and wind instruments are. Haydn’s keyboard music is no exception, but this Adagio is, as the composer combines subtle orchestral writing with a singing line that could have been an aria in a liturgical work.