Sonata A major Hob. XVI

The Sonata in A major Hob. XVI:26 is one of the sonatas by Joseph Haydn which increasingly become the focus of attention of our piano teachers. Thanks to its moderate technical demands, it is perfect for piano lessons. At the same time, it shows essential features of Haydn’s piano style in a condensed form – an expressive musical declamation, rhetorical breaks full of tension, wit and humour – which culminates not only in one of the shortest final movements of Haydn, but also in a minuet the second half of which (in Minuet and Trio) corresponds to the first half when played backwards. A real voyage of discovery for the ‘eagle-eyed’ ones among the young piano players! The musical textis based on Christa Landon’s edition newly revised by Ulrich Leisinger; the notes on interpretation by Robert D. Levin provide assistance for a performance practice in the appropriate style.