Haydn - Piano Music

Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn was 18 when Bach died, and 75 when Beethoven's Appassionata was published. Throughout this time he remained at the forefront of music - no other composer approaches his combined productivity, quality and historical importance in the field of symphonies, sonatas and string quartets. He had a great sense of humor, often apparent in his music, which besides its classical elegance exudes energy and is typically upbeat, though this does not exclude heartfelt emotion and seriousness.



Top Pieces:


Sonata in E-flat Major, L. 62 Hob. XVI: 52

Widely considered Haydn's greatest piano sonata - symphonic in scope, and with bold harmonic twists: Haydn as a visionary, but also in his most irrestibly witty and poetic mood.

Andante with Variations  in F Minor,  Hob. XVII: 6

With its depth of emotion, and experimental use of the newer piano's sustained tone, this masterwork of Haydn's maturity seems to look forward to the Romantic era.

Piano Concerto 11 in D Major

Although concertos did not play a large role in Haydn's output, this one is a favorite with pianists and audiences for its cheerful Vivace, melancholy Adagio, and rousing, exotic "Hungarian" Rondo.

Serenata in C Major

This famous Serenade may have been composed by Haydn's ardent admirer Roman Hoffstetter. If that is so, never did Hoffstetter's music come so close to the melodic charm and beautiful craftsmanship of his idol.

Biography

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was of short stature and not a very handsome man, but his good character and modesty were generally acknowledged, and his robust sense of humour is often evident in his music. He has been known as the father of both the symphony and the string quartet; no other composer approaches his historical importance in these genres. As a boy of six he was sent to train as a musician with his relative Johann Matthias Franck, who let the boy go constantly hungry. Two years later, he passed an audition to become a chorister in St. Stephen´s Cathedral in Vienna; the under-nourished Haydn especially looked forward to performances before the aristocracy, where he would sometimes have the opportunity to devour some of the refreshments.

At seventeen, Haydn was no longer able to sing high choral parts and was dismissed. During an arduous period as freelance musician he laboured to fill the gaps in his training, and eventually wrote his first string quartets and his first opera. In 1757 he became Kapellmeister for Count Karl von Morzin, for whose small orchestra he wrote his first symphonies. When the Count got into financial trouble, Haydn was offered a similar post by the Eszterházys, one of the wealthiest and most important families in the Austrian Empire. Haydn married in 1760, but did not get along with his wife, and carried on a long-term love affair with the singer Luigia Polzelli. He produced a flood of compositions, for his employer as well as for publication, and his popularity steadily increased. When Mozart arrived in Vienna in 1781 the two composers developed a great friendship – they were members of the same Masonic lodge and sometimes played string quartets together.

In 1790, the new prince Eszterházy dismissed the musical establishment and put Haydn on a pension. The composer accepted an offer to visit England and conduct new symphonies with a large orchestra. Audiences flocked to these concerts and Haydn considered settling in England permanently, but eventually returned to Vienna, turning to the composition of large religious vocal works and composing the last nine of his string quartets. From 1802 Haydn suffered from health problems which made him physically unable to compose. He died in 1809 following an attack on Vienna by Napoleon; with his last words he attempted to calm and reassure his servants as cannon shots fell on the neighbourhood.


Quotes by Haydn

"Since God has given me a cheerful heart, He will forgive me for serving Him cheerfully."

Quotes about Haydn

"Haydn alone has the secret both of making me smile and of touching my innermost soul" (Mozart)

"If only your pure and clean mind could touch me, dear Haydn; nobody has a greater reverence for you than I have." (Schubert)

Haydn Piano Sheet Music

for digital devices or to download & print

Total pieces by Haydn: 94

ID:17
TitleKey YearLevel

Most popular pieces:

Sonata L. 62 Hob. XVI: 52E-flat Major 17948
Andante with Variations Hob. XVII: 6F Minor 17938
Piano Concerto Hob. XVIII: 11D Major 17828+
Serenata C Major 17723

All pieces:


Concertos

Piano Concerto Hob. XVIII: 3F Major 17658+
Piano Concerto Hob. XVIII: 4G Major 17828+
Piano Concerto Hob. XVIII: 11D Major 17828+
Concertino Hob. XIV: 3C Major 17675

Sonatas

Sonata L. 10 Hob. XVI: 1C Major 17606
Sonata L. 11 Hob. XVI: 2B-flat Major 17606
Sonata L. 14 Hob. XVI: 3C Major 17606
Sonata L. 9 Hob. XVI: 4D Major 17606
Sonata L. 8 Hob. XVI: 5A Major 17637
Sonata L. 13 Hob. XVI: 6G Major 17667
Sonata L. 2 Hob. XVI: 7C Major 17665
Sonata L. 1 Hob. XVI: 8G Major 17665
Sonata L. 3 Hob. XVI: 9F Major 17665
Sonata L. 6 Hob. XVI: 10C Major 17676
Sonata L. 5 Hob. XVI: 11G Major 17676
Sonata L. 12 Hob. XVI: 12A Major 17676
Sonata L. 15 Hob. XVI: 13E Major 17675
Sonata L. 16 Hob. XVI: 14D Major 17677
Sonata Hob. XVI: 15C Major 17676
Sonata Hob. XVI: 16E-flat Major 17556
Sonata Hob. XVI: 17B-flat Major 17686
Sonata L. 20 Hob. XVI: 18B-flat Major 17678
Sonata L. 30 Hob. XVI: 19D Major 17678
Sonata L. 33 Hob. XVI: 20C Minor 17717
Sonata L. 36 Hob. XVI: 21C Major 17737
Sonata L. 37 Hob. XVI: 22E Major 17738
Sonata L. 38 Hob. XVI: 23F Major 17738
Sonata L. 39 Hob. XVI: 24D Major 17737
Sonata L. 40 Hob. XVI: 25E-flat Major 17738
Sonata L. 41 Hob. XVI: 26A Major 17737
Sonata L. 42 Hob. XVI: 27G Major 17766
Sonata L. 43 Hob. XVI: 28E-flat Major 17768
Sonata L. 44 Hob. XVI: 29F Major 17768
Sonata L. 45 Hob. XVI: 30A Major 17767
Sonata L. 46 Hob. XVI: 31E Major 17768
Sonata L. 47 Hob. XVI: 32B Minor 17768
Sonata L. 34 Hob. XVI: 33D Major 17777
Sonata L. 53 Hob. XVI: 34E Minor 17787
Sonata L. 48 Hob. XVI: 35C Major 17807
Sonata L. 49 Hob. XVI: 36C-sharp Minor 17808
Sonata L. 50 Hob. XVI: 37D Major 17808
Sonata L. 51 Hob. XVI: 38E-flat Major 17808
Sonata L. 52 Hob. XVI: 39G Major 17808
Sonata L. 54 Hob. XVI: 40G Major 17848
Sonata L. 55 Hob. XVI: 41B-flat Major 17847
Sonata L. 56 Hob. XVI: 42D Major 17847
Sonata L. 35 Hob. XVI: 43A-flat Major 17838
Sonata L. 32 Hob. XVI: 44G Minor 17678
Sonata L. 29 Hob. XVI: 45E-flat Major 17678
Sonata L. 31 Hob. XVI: 46A-flat Major 17678
Sonata L. 57 Hob. XVI: 47F Major 17678
Sonata L. 58 Hob. XVI: 48C Major 17898
Sonata L. 59 Hob. XVI: 49E-flat Major 17908
Sonata L. 60 Hob. XVI: 50C Major 17958
Sonata L. 61 Hob. XVI: 51D Major 17957
Sonata L. 62 Hob. XVI: 52E-flat Major 17948

Variations

Arietta with Variations Hob. XVII: 2A Major 17887
Arietta with Variations Hob. XVII: 3E-flat Major 17748
Theme with Variations Hob. XVII: 5C Major 17907
Andante with Variations Hob. XVII: 6F Minor 17938
Andante with Variations Hob. XVII: 7D Major 17665
Air with Variations - La Roxelane Hob. I: 63C Minor 17777

Dances

12 Minuets Hob. IX: 3N/A 17624
12 Minuets Hob. IX: 8N/A 17855
12 Minuets Hob. IX: 11N/A 17927
12 German Dances Hob. IX: 12N/A 17924
Contredanse Hob. XXXIc:17bD Major -3
German Dance Hob. IX: 12C Major 17923
German Dance Hob. IX: 12C Major 17922
German Dance Hob. IX: 22D Major -1
Gypsy Dance Hob. IX: 28C Minor 17922
Ländler C Major -2
Minuet Hob. IX: 3G Major 17621
Minuet Hob. IX: 8F Major 17852
Minuet and Trio Hob. XVI: 11G Major 17674
Minuet Hob. XVI: 15G Major 17672
Quadrille Hob. IX: 29C Major -2
Tedesca Hob. IX: 22G Major -1

Miscellaneous pieces

Adagio Hob. XVII: 9F Major 17866
Allegretto Hob. III: 41G Major 17815
Allegro Hob. XVI: 9F Major 17663
Allegro Hob. XVI: 8G Major 17663
Allegro Hob. III: 73F Major 17934
Allegro molto Hob. deestD Major -5
Andante Hob. XVI: 11G Minor 17675
Capriccio Hob. XVII: 1G Major 17658
Fantasia Hob. XVII: 4C Major 17898
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser Hob. XXVIa:43G Major 17975
Hungarian Gypsy Rondo Hob. XV: 25G Major 17958
Il maestro e lo scolare - Variations for four hands Hob. XVIIa:1F Major 17785
Lied Hob.XXVIa:D1D Major -4
March Hob. VIII: 1E-flat Major 17954
March Hob. VIII: 2C Major 17954
Serenata C Major 17723


Forum posts about Joseph Haydn

ornaments in Haydn by kevink
Does anyone know where I can find resources on the performance of ornaments in Haydn sonatas?  I hear many different takes on how these...

Re: Haydn by minstrel
I think Haydn is even more important composer than Mozart.. here's why.. Mozart was very good at excelling in the forms that were popul...

trills (haydn) by Tash
i have to write and perform a thing on historical performance practice on a classical or romantic piece so i'm most likely playing the ...

Re: Haydn Sonates - Pedal..yes? or no? by rc
It's allowed, certain passages lend themselves to a little pedal. I rarely use it, just for connective purposes, as imperceptible as po...

Re: Haydn by danyalswan
IMO, Haydn is completely under-rated today. He was an incredible composer and exceptionally smart (musically as well as everything else) He ...