Richibi’s Weblog

 

                 Thomas Hardy

 

                         _______

 

 

though I’ve focused especially, during

this introduction to Classical music,

on Mozart, a second great pillar of

that era is Haydn, 1732 – 1809

 

here is one of his 62 piano sonatas,

which expresses more than anything

you’ve heard here yet the definition

of what music was at the time, or

should be, tonality, as I’ve earlier

said, tempo and repetition were

tantamount

 

listen for or the rigidity of the tempo,

the consistent melliflousness of

the melody, and therefore tonality,

and the repetition of all the

component tunes

 

I remember going to a drum recital

once, here in Vancouver, a guy was

expressing his artistry in a formal

venue, I was sitting in a forward

row, saw him set up his music on

his music stand, and I thought,

he’s going to have to turn the

pages, which he did, a drummer

                         

that’s all I remember of the

presentation, but that was enough,

an entire revelation

 

in this Haydn sonata, the pianist

turns the pages of his score, back

and forth, an interesting visual

expression of the imperative of

repetition in that era’s music,

having to return to what had

been written on the previous

page

 

also note that trills abound

 

note too in the second movement,

the adagio cantabile, the sudden

introduction of arpeggios,

transcendent, as though angels

had just appeared

which prefigures the metaphysical

aspirations of the Romantic Period

which ensued, see, for instance, 

Chopin

note also that we’re on fortepiano

here, a period instrument, a cross

between the harpsichord and the

modern instrument

 

thoroughly enjoy