Haydn Sonata in E flat major, no. 43, Hob XVI:28 - advice please

[pianobug5]

Hello,
This is my first time posting here - I hope I find some helpful advice (I'm sure I will! )

I am going into my third year of university, doing a BMus with a concentration in Piano Performance. My prof suggested learning Haydn's Sonata in E flat major - NOT the very popular no.52, but rather no.43 (Hob XVI:28).
I have started learning it but am finding it strangely easy. Is this just a lucky break for me, or is it actually a rather easy piece? (By 'easy' I mean RCM level 10 or below, for Canadians...if that means anything.)
Taking into account where I am in my piano learning career (3rd year university, have been playing steadily for 13 years...my other rep includes Liszt's Gnomenreigen, some Rachmaninoff, etc) could I please get some advice on whether this is up to my level, or whether my teacher has accidentally suggested a piece below my level?

Any suggestions as to the difficulty level of this piece are welcome!
Thank you for your opinions.

[zolaxi]

Firstly, have you discussed this with your teacher? A good first step I feel.

It's true that the Haydn does not appear to be technically the most challenging piece in the conventional sense. However, to develop into a well rounded musician, it's important to have in your repertoire pieces from a cross section of periods. Playing a Scarlatti sonata, or a Haydn sonata may not present the same technical challenges as a Liszt Transcendental Study, but the musical challenges are certainly there.

And it's surely important to be comfortable as a player in a variety of musical periods.

For example, the great Vladimir Horowitz was not above throwing in a Scarlatti sonata into a program.  I would suggest that he did so because it highlighted a different aspect of his technique and musicianship.

To give a more contemporary example, Ivo Pogorelich, no keyboard slouch to be sure, has issued a recording of two Haydn sonatas (30 & 31) and a recording of Scarlatti sonatas. Wonderful music and  wonderful playing. Not technically difficult in the Lisztian sense, but musically perhaps even more challenging.

So, show your teacher that you are not a one trick pony (I'm not suggesting you are, by the way!) and embrace the technical and most importantly, the musical challenges the Haydn has to offer.

And as I said at the start, talk this over with your teacher. Communication between teacher and student is crucial!