Hi all classical pianists:

I'm going back to HK for holiday and I'm just wondering whether if it's good to get haydn's sonatas for the piano. I've never tried one myself, but I heard people playing it....I'm at about Dip level, so will they be too easy for me?? Is it any good to buy them? Urgent reply is needed, I'll be gone tomorrow....

3 suggestions, with the level they're at :-

For TCL Grade 8 I played the first movement of Hob XVI 37 (no.7) in D.

For ALCM I played Hob XVI 49 (no. 3) in Eb.

For LLCM (which I gave up on because I couldn't get the time to perfect everything enough!) I was practising XVI 52 (no.1) in Eb.

All great pieces of music. I love Haydn. Listen to these played by Alfred Brendel; I think he's the best.

Haydn sonatas aren't all 'easy' - there are several on the diploma syllabuses, such as those Dulciana has listed off the ALCM and LLCM. Furthermore, after your result earlier this year, I don't think you should be writing off repertoire below diploma level, there's still a lot you can learn from it.

Seconded. The best way to consolidate technique is not to go for something harder than anything else you play, but rather to step back a notch or three and broaden out instead. Fingers will relax and do things you couldn't imagine they would if your brain eases up a bit. You've fretted before about not always having the technique you would like to have - wait til you have consolidated the technique for the level you've reached before trying to go yet further.
Listen to the average kid playing a grade 2 piece,even to distinction level in a grade exam, then a professional pianist doing the same thing, and tell me that they're playing to the same standard? I doubt it.

Is there really such a thing as too easy?

Do you always read the 'hardest' books that you can? I know i don't, I enjoy lots of childrens and teenage books as well as more 'grown up' fiction.
Why should it be different with music. If you like something or want to try it then just go ahead and play it.
Ok, to advance you need to stretch yourself but I can't see the point in dismissing something because you are supposedly past that level.

it's also possible to learn from something 'easy'.

Haydn's Sonatas are enjoyable to play so you should go for it - there are a few gems in there that I regularly play. I have played the Hob XVI/49 and 52 for my exams in the past. You can get them in two volumes from Dover which is the cheapest option, or the Henle and Wiener Urtext editions.

I was going to say exactly this in exactly the same words Ah well, great minds and all that I have a wonderful time on many an evening playing pieces that are "too easy". If I like it then it doesn't matter if it's Grade1 or diploma, I can still learn something from it.

As to the Haydn sonatas. I really like these, have learned a couple and played others just to try them out. I'd tell you the ones I like but I have a peculiar book that numbers them in a different way to anyone else - no Hob numbers or anything. As said above there are certainly some on the diploma syllabus.

Can I just say that it's great to see Haydn getting a look-in here! He's rarely mentioned, and deserves to be more often!

I have played all 52 at some stage !
The earlier ones are not so interesting, so I'd go for a Volume 2. The ones from Hob XVI 30 - 52.
The greatest of them all is the very last one in E flat No 52.
Among my other favourites are Nos 32, 33, 34, 37, 41, 46, 48 (played that last night), 49, 50, 51

You put the rest of us to shame, fsm! About no. 52 - I could listen to the last movement of that for hours and never get sick of it. Really must start practising it agian!

After my Grade 8, I remember going through a phase of playing through all the Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert sonatas and also most of Chopin's solo piano music just to get the feel of it - not performance standard though!

I agree that the later sonatas are more fascinating... though I have always liked the final movement of his Sonata in G Hob XVI/6!

Besides the known 52 sonatas, have you played the remaining 10 sonatas (total 62 as per Christa Landon)?

No, I havent seen those other ones. The only other Haydn I really enjoy playing are the Variations In F Minor
Hob XVII / 6. Can recommend these as a recital piece if you dont want to do a whole Sonata, though even these will be a good 10 mins long.
I have recently played all the Mozart and Haydn Sonatas over a period of 3 - 4weeks, but I confess I cant really manage all Beethoven and Schuberts, maybe half of them and certainly not Chopins entire piano music ! Id love to be able to play all Bachs '48', but I guess this is about half also.

Indeed!

I don't think any music should be written off as too easy - if the great pianists do complete box sets of Haydn sonatas, then in their eyes the music has merit enough to be played, and not judged as 'too easy' just because it hasn't got the technical demnds of say Ravel, or Rachmaninoff, or the later Beethoven sonatas. There's always a challenge with style and interpretation in any case.......

I didnt say the early ones were easy, I said they were less interesting.

I took CD's answer to be to the original post, not to yours, F#minor.

Yes - sorry! I was referring to the original post comment of being "too easy" ........ I should have used the quote thingy - sorry........... forgiven?

Thats all OK.
Just realised how much I like No 49 in B Flat, played it again last night, would be a good one for a recital, not that I am likely to be giving any.

Is no. 49 not in Eb?
(Or is it the time of year? )

[quote name='Dulciana' date='Dec 13 2006, 10:09 AM' post='433837']
[quote name='fsharpminor' post='433826' date='Dec 13 2006, 09:34 AM']
Thats all OK.
Just realised how much I like No 49 in B Flat, played it again last night, would be a good one for a recital, not that I am likely to be giving any.
[/quote]
Is no. 49 not in Eb?
(Or is it the time of year? )
[/quote


Oops yes , sorry its E Flat ! Time of the year !

[quote name='fsharpminor' date='Dec 13 2006, 10:32 AM' post='433839']
[quote name='Dulciana' date='Dec 13 2006, 10:09 AM' post='433837']
[quote name='fsharpminor' post='433826' date='Dec 13 2006, 09:34 AM']
Thats all OK.
Just realised how much I like No 49 in B Flat, played it again last night, would be a good one for a recital, not that I am likely to be giving any.
[/quote]
Is no. 49 not in Eb?
(Or is it the time of year? )
[/quote


Oops yes , sorry its E Flat ! Time of the year !
[/quote]
Not that I'm an expert, but I played that one!