Haydn sonatas are...

[Goldberg]

Sooooooo awesome. I needed a break from Liszt, so I started looking around for random sight-readable stuff to play and loosen up a little bit...well, I came across my Peters edition of Volume one of Haydn's sonatas (and, as I also found out, 'Volume one' does not mean it's in chronological order, which is kind of disappointing but oh well) and sat down and sight read a few of them--not perfectly, but well enough to realise how absolutely *incredible* they are!! I love them!! How could I not have noticed this back in February, when I got the book?!

If anyone else has these sonatas, I recommend that you drop what you're doing and go sight read them! Most are quite easy and absolutely enjoyable to no ends!

Either that, or everyone else already knows about the awesomeness-factor of the pieces and has just refrained from telling me....

[Chozart]

Haydn's sonatas are awesome

.. but I freakin need a break from them..!
I've only played 2 of Beethoven's, 2 of Mozart's, and many more of Haydn's (arg he just had to write so many, didn't he ).. I swear, if I get another Haydn next, I'ma go crazy
I need something else..
I simply often don't feel the same passion in some of Haydn's nearly as much as in Mozart's (comparing the two since they did incorporate similar styles into their sonatas, especially since they were both of the classical era and knew each other well), not to mention Beethoven's.

Obviously, I'm not nearly at the level of Schubert's or Chopin's or Liszt's lol, so these are like my "3 guys" (maybe Grieg will become a 4th..).

But yeah, Haydn did indeed write a truly wonderful collection of piano sonatas.
IMO, Haydn's sonatas are generally > Mozart's.
I can't quite say the same for Beethoven's, since the style and definitely the effects are quite different (although Haydn does have "Beethoven-like" moments sometimes).

All in all, you're right.. respec to Haydn his sonatas are pretty cool

I'm just hoping I take a little break from them for a while..

[Goldberg]

Haha, which ones have you played? I agree with the Beethoven sonatas...although, shoot me, I can't say Beethoven's sonatas are quite tops on my list *in general*. I rather prefer Mozart's, C.P.E. Bach's, and (now) Haydn's. Grieg's is also super cool.

I've also heard a lot of recommendations for another Classical-era composer of sonatas, but I'm not sure who it is. Clementi? C-something...cor, I can't remember....some well-known composer whose sonatas are overlooked...

[Chozart]

a lot, many of which were extremely difficult to find
here's a few I remember
- right at the end of 8th grade, I played Sonata No.9 in D Major, Hob. XVI:4 (I remember because I played it at this choir camp (non-competitive) talent show ^-^)
- One I played last summer/fall that was really hard to locate is Piano Sonata No.8 in A Major, Hob. XVI:5 ~ finally found it in a nice Klavier-Urtext German Edition (Peters)
- I think at some point I might have played No.11 in C Major, Hob. XVI:2 as well..
- Last spring I did the ever-famous No.50 in D Major, Hob.XVI:37
played that one at my school's talent show competition, where there were surprisingly more talented musicians than I expected. Managed to pull of 3rd place, thanks to rollin out the sadness of Mendelssohn's S.W.W. "Regrets"
- then Beethoven's first..
- and I'm currently working on a Haydn Sonata.. actually, I would have finished, but my teacher gets into these obsessive perfection psycho mode things around the time of my annual recitals.. I think this time even more so because she's probably heard some excellent interpretation of it or something. I actually discovered one myself, thanks to my friend's dad having lent me his Last Recording CD of Horowitz, featuring this sonata --> Sonata No.59 in E flat Major, Hob.XVI:49
it's a cool one

but you see... maybe some more Beethoven and Mozart would be nice, lol. Previous to the ones mentioned were MANY MANY Haydn Sonatinas @_@ (and a few of Mozart's and some Ukranian and Russian composers).

I think you are probably thinking of Clementi.
One of my friends constantly played his sonatas.. but I can't find any, only simple sonatinas :/
I think I've only played like 2 of his works.. probably because all I've seen and heard has been more technical than anything else.. but yes, he is overshadowed :/

[Jeliness2]

I only have volume 1 of his piano sonatas.

[WinterWind_23]

I haven't played any Haydn sonatas, but in my book there are a few that I will play in the near future. I look forward to them after reading your post, goldberg. They are really nice and pleasant, though I still enjoy Mozart and Beethoven more; perhaps my partisan is based on my familiarity with them.

[Goldberg]

That might well be the case...like I mentioned, my book of the sonatas were dormant in my collection of sheet music for nearly a year. I got the book especially for ONE sonata (which is in G major and is quite a dull one, though I can't remember the exact Hob no....I can't say I enjoy it at all, when compared to the others) for a competition. I played the piece well but then dropped the Haydn to work on Mozart more...


I was literally shocked when I decided to sight read the Haydn sonatas and realised what I've been missing out on!! I just sight read (with some difficult spots) the Hob 49 that Chozart mentioned and I must say I was delighted wonderfully. There is also one in E minor that I can't seem to stop playing...along with several others...

Cor, I just love these sonatas! I've never once heard a recording of any of them, either...I'm terribly deprived.

I don't mean to make any sort of controvery here, but as much as I try I just can't seem to get completely excited over Beethoven's sonatas. I like 'em, I listen to 'em from time to time, but I only really love a handful. Maybe someday I'll go as ape over the B-Boy's (...) sonatas as I am about Haydn's.

[Max]

I've learnt a couple of them but I prefer Beethoven, both to play and to listen.

[Scriabinist]

I had to learn one and it was so annoying to play that I'll avoid them like plague.

[Chozart]

I haven't played any Haydn sonatas, but in my book there are a few that I will play in the near future.

O_o I'm surprised.. around my parts, everyone's been rather "Haydn-ized" (particularly me it seems >_o), heh
well they are definitely worth it

There is also one in E minor that I can't seem to stop playing...

does it happen to be Hob.XVI:34 ?
last year I discovered I had this one as well, and I sight read it too. I really liked it
I'm just wondering if this happens to be the same E Minor one, because after having encountered it myself, several of my friends coincidentally happened to have started playing it.. thought they didn't know the Hob. #, I asked them how it began, hummed it, and it happened to have been this very one - so I'm assuming it's sort of popular.
I'm wondering if this is another one of those cases
If so, huzzah again!
This is a really cool sonata ~ nice and technical, but powerful as well. IMO, it's one of his more "Beethoven-like" sonatas, but of course not quite.. there are still those factors typical to both Haydn himself and Mozart.. making.. ie... Haydn, lol.
Plus, the fact that it's minor just emits greatness to me

I had to learn one and it was so annoying to play that I'll avoid them like plague.

wow, that's rather ignorant of you :/

[Fryderyk]

I've also heard a lot of recommendations for another Classical-era composer of sonatas, but I'm not sure who it is. Clementi? C-something...cor, I can't remember....some well-known composer whose sonatas are overlooked...

I can´t stand Clementi.

[WinterWind_23]

Clementi is hackneyed by younger inexperienced pianist, espescially his op.36 sontinas. They are usually used as teaching material for children. I must concede that I have played the whole of op.36 which included six easy yet effective sonatinas, although quite a few years ago. These works are nice, but they definitely become annoying after so many people play them. But his sonatas are worth understanding. Horowitz extensively studied Clementi and there was a period in which he was absorbed in his music. Some claim that his piano sonatas are more complex and musical than Mozart's.

[Scriabinist]

I had to learn one and it was so annoying to play that I'll avoid them like plague.

wow, that's rather ignorant of you :/

Heh, yeah, I have problems. I like Haydn's other stuff but not the solo piano stuff. The only sonata I like is the overplayed Eb flat minor (Hob. XVI 52 or something like that)

[Max]

Clementi is hackneyed by younger inexperienced pianist, espescially his op.36 sontinas. They are usually used as teaching material for children. I must concede that I have played the whole of op.36 which included six easy yet effective sonatinas, although quite a few years ago. These works are nice, but they definitely become annoying after so many people play them. But his sonatas are worth understanding. Horowitz extensively studied Clementi and there was a period in which he was absorbed in his music. Some claim that his piano sonatas are more complex and musical than Mozart's.

Clementi is very much an acquired taste.

[citrine_peridot]

I had to learn one and it was so annoying to play that I'll avoid them like plague.

wow, that's rather ignorant of you :/

Heh, yeah, I have problems. I like Haydn's other stuff but not the solo piano stuff. The only sonata I like is the overplayed Eb flat minor (Hob. XVI 52 or something like that)

actually his symphonies are quite fun to listen.(for being the only orchestral works that i bother to listen.
For his piano sonata , i am not even sure if i listened any of them~~~~~~~~~~~~ (ok, i am ignorant )