Piano Sonata No. 52 in E-flat major (Haydn)
Encyclopedia
The Piano Sonata No. 52 in E flat major, Hob.
XVI/52, L.
62, was written in 1794 by Joseph Haydn
. This is the last of Haydn's piano sonatas, and is widely considered his greatest. It has been the subject of extensive analysis by preeminent musicological
figures such as Heinrich Schenker
and Sir Donald Tovey, largely because of its expansive length, unusual harmonies and interesting development. Sometimes the sonata is referred to as number 62 based on the numbering of Christa Landon instead of the numbering of Hoboken.
(16 May 1795). Haydn also dedicated three demanding piano trios (H.
XV:27-29) and another piano sonata (H. XVI:50) to Jansen.
With regard to the E-flat sonata, Jansen was evidently the dedicatee of the autograph (hand-written) score but not the first published version. On the title page of the autograph Haydn wrote in Italian, "Sonata composta per la Celebra Signora Teresa de Janson ... di me giuseppe Haydn mpri Lond. 794," which means "Sonata composed for the celebrated Miss Theresa Jansen ... by myself Joseph Haydn in my own hand, London 1794."
Heartz implies that Haydn may have left the sonata unpublished for some time so that Jansen could have the work for her exclusive use. Ultimately, Haydn had the work published in Vienna in 1798, three years after he had returned there from London. The publisher was Artaria
, and the dedicatee for the published version was Magdalena von Kurzbeck. A London edition, perhaps instigated by Jansen, appeared with Longman and Clementi in 1800 with the title "A grand new sonata for the piano forte composed expressly for Mrs. Bartolozzi, Op.
78."
The first movement takes approximately 7–8 minutes to perform in an average performance, the second movement 6.5-7.5 minutes, and the third movement 5–6 minutes.
It opens with an expansive, French Overture
theme and has a contrasting second theme in the upper, "music box" register that has been identified with the wie aus die ferne (as in the distance) trope of the nineteenth century. Its harmonic exploration is unusually broad for Haydn's solo piano writing. It has a strong rhythmic character and forward momentum built around an unflinching sonata structure.
Hoboken-Verzeichnis
The Hoboken-Verzeichnis is the catalogue of over 750 works by Joseph Haydn as compiled by Anthony van Hoboken.Unlike Ludwig von Köchel's catalogue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's works, or Otto Erich Deutsch's catalogue of Franz Schubert's works, which are both arranged chronologically by date of...
XVI/52, L.
H. C. Robbins Landon
Howard Chandler Robbins Landon was an American musicologist.He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and studied music at Swarthmore College and Boston University. He subsequently moved to Europe where he worked as a music critic. From 1947 he undertook research in Vienna on Joseph Haydn, a composer...
62, was written in 1794 by Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
. This is the last of Haydn's piano sonatas, and is widely considered his greatest. It has been the subject of extensive analysis by preeminent musicological
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
figures such as Heinrich Schenker
Heinrich Schenker
Heinrich Schenker was a music theorist, best known for his approach to musical analysis, now usually called Schenkerian analysis....
and Sir Donald Tovey, largely because of its expansive length, unusual harmonies and interesting development. Sometimes the sonata is referred to as number 62 based on the numbering of Christa Landon instead of the numbering of Hoboken.
History
Haydn wrote the work for Therese Jansen, an outstanding pianist who lived in London at the time of Haydn's visits there in the 1790s. Haydn served as a witness at her wedding to Gaetano BartolozziGaetano Stefano Bartolozzi
Gaetano Stefano Bartolozzi was an Italian engraver, art dealer, and merchant. He was the a son of the famous engraver Francesco Bartolozzi, a friend of Joseph Haydn, the husband of the outstanding pianist Theresa Jansen, and the father of the celebrated actress and theatre manager Lucia Elizabeth...
(16 May 1795). Haydn also dedicated three demanding piano trios (H.
Hoboken-Verzeichnis
The Hoboken-Verzeichnis is the catalogue of over 750 works by Joseph Haydn as compiled by Anthony van Hoboken.Unlike Ludwig von Köchel's catalogue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's works, or Otto Erich Deutsch's catalogue of Franz Schubert's works, which are both arranged chronologically by date of...
XV:27-29) and another piano sonata (H. XVI:50) to Jansen.
With regard to the E-flat sonata, Jansen was evidently the dedicatee of the autograph (hand-written) score but not the first published version. On the title page of the autograph Haydn wrote in Italian, "Sonata composta per la Celebra Signora Teresa de Janson ... di me giuseppe Haydn mpri Lond. 794," which means "Sonata composed for the celebrated Miss Theresa Jansen ... by myself Joseph Haydn in my own hand, London 1794."
Heartz implies that Haydn may have left the sonata unpublished for some time so that Jansen could have the work for her exclusive use. Ultimately, Haydn had the work published in Vienna in 1798, three years after he had returned there from London. The publisher was Artaria
Artaria
Artaria and company was one of the most important music publishing firms of the late 18th and 19th century. Founded in the 18th century in Vienna, the company is associated with many leading names of the classical era.- History :...
, and the dedicatee for the published version was Magdalena von Kurzbeck. A London edition, perhaps instigated by Jansen, appeared with Longman and Clementi in 1800 with the title "A grand new sonata for the piano forte composed expressly for Mrs. Bartolozzi, Op.
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
78."
The music
The work has three movements:- I. Allegro (Moderato)
- II. Adagio in E major and E minor
- III. Finale: Presto
The first movement takes approximately 7–8 minutes to perform in an average performance, the second movement 6.5-7.5 minutes, and the third movement 5–6 minutes.
It opens with an expansive, French Overture
French overture
The French overture is a musical form widely used in the Baroque period. Its basic formal division is into two parts, which are usually enclosed by double bars and repeat signs. They are complementary in styles , and the first ends with a half-cadence that requires an answering structure with a...
theme and has a contrasting second theme in the upper, "music box" register that has been identified with the wie aus die ferne (as in the distance) trope of the nineteenth century. Its harmonic exploration is unusually broad for Haydn's solo piano writing. It has a strong rhythmic character and forward momentum built around an unflinching sonata structure.