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Haydn, Franz Joseph : Sonate für Klavier Nr.39 Mov.2 Adagio

Work Overview

Music ID : 32196
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:sonata
Total Playing Time:3 min 30 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (2)

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: March 5, 2025
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

Some might assume this second movement was conceived for a string quartet. However, it is likely that an aria scene serves as its background. When performing this second movement, there is one point of caution and one piece of advice.

Point of Caution

First, regarding the point of caution: accurately count the rests. In measures 8, 16, 22, and 24, count the rests precisely, ensuring they are neither too long nor too short. The listener may be counting along mentally.

Advice

As for the advice: incorporate a certain degree of improvisation. If we assume the melody line is a vocal part, a certain level of expression and improvisational quality is desired. Linger where appropriate, take your time, and play as if singing. At such times, when the left-hand accompaniment enters, the performance tends to become mechanical; however, it is desirable for the right hand to sing freely, with the left hand providing support.

For example, in measures 11-12, playing the successions of 32nd notes and 16th notes with metronomic precision will cause the lyrical quality to be lost, resulting in a highly mechanical performance. First, try playing only the vocal part to learn to move freely. Then, add the accompaniment, ensuring that the accompaniment supports the vocal line, and not the other way around.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou

Author : Saitoh, Noriko

Last Updated: September 1, 2020
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

The second movement is an Adagio in 4/4 time, in D minor, the tonic minor of the first movement. In the first edition of this piano sonata, the time signature was 2/2. It is written in ternary form, beginning with a melody in the right hand accompanied by thirds in the left hand. After a half cadence in measure 8, the middle section begins in F major, the relative major. A distinctive feature of this movement's ternary form is that when the opening melody returns (from measure 25), the accompanying left-hand figure is the same as that which began the middle section. The movement concludes with a three-measure sustained dominant, followed by a fermata, and then leads attacca into the next movement.

Writer: Saitoh, Noriko