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Haydn, Franz Joseph : Sonate für Klavier Nr.30 Mov.1 Moderato

Work Overview

Music ID : 32171
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:sonata
Total Playing Time:9 min 00 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (2)

Author : Inada, Saeko

Last Updated: February 9, 2020
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Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

Allegretto, D major, 4/4 time. Sonata form.

In contrast to the first theme, which possesses an elegant sound characterized by dotted rhythms, the second theme begins with a striking succession of E notes, eventually leading to a lively atmosphere with arpeggiated accompaniment. This repetition of the same note, while providing a sense of foundational stability and forward momentum, also serves to evoke anxiety when it shifts to a minor key in the development section, making it a particularly distinctive musical idea in this movement.

Writer: Inada, Saeko

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: January 26, 2025
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

The first movement is crucial for its fundamental concept, which in turn determines the tempo. While few, there are works by Haydn that depict serious psychological states, and some also portray loneliness. However, most of his works are optimistic and depict lively "joy." Furthermore, many works within this category portray Haydn's characteristic humor, jokes, surprises, and playfulness.

This first movement, as expected, is a work full of Haydn's characteristic humor, including passages that subvert the listener's expectations or seem to tell a joke.

One should be careful not to pursue only the beauty of this work, thereby mistakenly treating its essential humorous aspect too seriously.

Although "Moderato" indicates that it should not be played too fast, there are limits to this. For instance, in measures 4-5, if the tempo is too slow, the music in such passages becomes very heavy, loses its lightness, and consequently, its joy.

For example, try playing measures 19-20 at an appropriate tempo. You will find that at least quarter note = 90 is desirable. Even at this tempo, the small notes can be played sufficiently.

In measure 67, when playing the intricate rhythms, it is acceptable for the articulation to gradually become uneven and coalesce, eventually matching the speed of the arpeggiated chord in measure 68. While the thirty-second notes in measure 32 can certainly be played accurately, if one is too preoccupied with playing them meticulously, the delightful humor Haydn intended will be lost. Instead, it can even be perceived as the charm of someone playing clumsily.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou
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