A few years after a complete recording of Mozart’s solo piano works that has gradually come to be regarded as a benchmark, Kristian Bezuidenhout has taken all the time he needed to tackle Haydn, the other towering figure of the Viennese Classical keyboard repertory: ‘Preparing for this recording has been a vivid reminder that it is remarkably difficult to play Haydn’s music well, but that with enough care, and attention to detail, his music has the potential to come jumping from the page. It would be hubris to suggest that I am even close to unlocking any of its secrets, but I am so humbled by the sheer beauty, humanity, wit and delightful irony of this music, that the desire to continue is irresistible.’
Keyboard Sonata, Hob.XVI:20
C minor / ut mineur / c-Moll
1I. Allegro moderato 8’07
2II. Andante con moto 5’23
3III. Finale. Allegro 4’39
4Variations on the theme ‘Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser’, Hob.i, 430
G major / Sol majeur / G-Dur 6’00
Partita (Divertimento), Hob.XVI:6
G major / Sol majeur / G-Dur
5I. Allegro 5’33
6II. Menuet – Trio 4’02
7III. Adagio 3’31
8IV. Finale. Allegro molto 2’54
Keyboard Sonata, Hob.XVI:48
C major / Ut majeur / C-Dur
9I. Andante con espressione 8’40
10II. Rondo. Presto 4’19
11Variations (Sonata, Un piccolo divertimento), Hob.XVII:6
F minor / fa mineur / f-Moll 15’07