Haydn: Piano Sonatas

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Lief Ove Andsnes predeeded his highly acclaimed recording of three Haydn piano concertos with this delightful recording of five piano sonatas, also available on EMI. They are the sonatas 24, 30, 32, 33 and 44. They are not very long in duration, but they have spikey wit, charm and are cheerful. Andsnes brings them off brilliantly. His judgement of tempo and pedalling makes these a joy to hear. He is supported by a warm but very clear recording. The ... Read review

Advantages: Exciting and moving performance, fine singers, orchestra and conductor
Disadvantages: None really

...-excited exuberance of a puppy that has treed its first cat! Background: Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) enjoyed a prolific and highly successful career composing in a wide variety of genres from opera to piano sonatas and is widely regarded to have fine-tuned the Classical Style in his string quartets and symphonies. When Haydn started composing "Die Schoepfung" (The Creation in English) in 1786 he had returned to Vienna after a highly successful time in England where his music was feted by everyone from the King downwards. He was now at the height of his powers, with a doctorate from Oxford University in his pocket and was certainly very aware of the commercial value of his music having made a substantial amount of money in England. From the copious archived documentation, we can read that Haydn felt there was nothing more he could say... Read review

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Advantages: One of Beethoven's finest symphonies.
Disadvantages: None from me, but some will say "classical music is boring".

...THE END OF AN ERA 1812 can be seen as the markerpoint where Beethoven's middle-period came to an end and his late-period was ushered in. Beethoven's middle-period saw the composer at his most creative high with one masterpiece following the other in rapid succession. The beginning of this period can roughly be timed as starting in 1803 with the appearance of the Third Symphony "Eroica" and the "Kreutzer" sonata. These two works signalled Beethoven distinctly leaving the 18th century Classicism of Haydn and Mozart behind him and taking on a completely new and individual voice. This individuality became more and more apparent in the works that followed: the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata" piano sonatas, the "Razumovski" quartets, the Violin Concerto, the three last cello sonatas, the "Archduke" piano trio, Fidelio, the Fifth and Sixth... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful