Recording Review #38: Hearty Haydn

 

Haydn: The Complete Piano Sonatas, Volume 1. Won-Sook Hur, pianist. Dux Recording Producers DUX2085. 

Much as I love Mozart's sonatas for solo keyboard, I think I may like Haydn's even more. This very much includes the early ones that are often slighter works (some are referred to as divertimenti or partitas) than the more familiar scores from later years. The very first nine are offered on Volume 1 of this new Dux series. Their opening movements mostly come in brief (sometimes rudimentary) sonata forms with sectional repeats. Ternary minuets-and-trios follow somewhere, with occasional slow or presto movements also making appearances. Few if any of these spans are longer than a few minutes each. And yet they're all delightfully engaging. Any one of them is perfect for a short car ride within town, or a fun play-through session at the piano (none of them are technically daunting).  

Particularly noteworthy in this group is Hob. XVI:2 in B-Flat, alternatively dubbed a partita. This is a surprisingly meaty work whose wit and memorability give it heft to match many sonatas to come. Its opening movement already contains hallmarks of Haydn's approach to sonata form: a sturdy, multi-part main theme group that provides fodder for plenty of elaboration; short episodes (often drawing heavily from the main theme group) in place of true secondary themes; and robust closing material that counterbalances extensive reliance upon the opening to generate interest. A richly expressive Largo slow movement in the relative minor key follows, with a Menuet-and-Trio finale that reverts back to B-Flat Major but visits the incredible parallel minor key of B-Flat Minor in the Trio. The best scholarly guesses date this work to around 1760, which makes it an incredible effort by a young Haydn working during the early years of the Classical Period. (Officially, we're not quite certain that it is by Haydn. But I strongly believe so for the reasons I've just shared.) 

Won-Sook Hur delivers spirited performances that should serve most listeners well. His 'pedally' sound is not quite my favorite; I prefer a dryer, crisper approach. And the sound quality of the recording at times seems less than top-tier. But these quibbles are not reasons to avoid giving it a try. Your impressions may vary. 

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