Haydn – Piano Sonatas III
Marc-André Hamelin
Hyperion CDA67882
Few Canadian pianists have produced such an eclectic catalogue of recordings as Marc-André Hamelin. Ever since his first CDs featuring music by composers such as Claude Caron, Stephen Albert and William Bolcom, he has demonstrated a decided affinity for music a little off the mainstream. Yet this isn’t to suggest that the Montreal native has ever ignored the standard “old masters” either, and indeed, his latest offering on the Hyperion label is a case in point, a fine two-disc compilation of Haydn piano sonatas from the HobXVI series.
This is actually the third volume of Haydn piano sonatas Hamelin has recorded, the first two appearing in 2007 and 2009. For this set, he chose 11 sonatas mainly dating from Haydn’s middle period of the 1760s and 70s. This was a time when the 30- and 40-something-year-old composer was prodigiously creating string quartets and full scale operas while in the service of the Esterhazy family. Not surprisingly, these sonatas are true models of classical form. While they present no huge technical demands on the part of the performer, Hamelin approaches them in an intelligent manner, his playing finely nuanced with the subtleties so integral in music from this period. Yet not all is rococo galanterie here. Many of the slow movements demonstrate a deep melancholia, clearly foreshadowing romanticism, and once again Hamelin has no difficulty in conveying the contrasting moods through his finely shaped phrases and sense of timing.
An added bonus in this set is the inclusion of two divertimentos, later published as Sonatas 1 and 6 in the Hoboken XVI catalogue, and also a short sonata in D major, now known as “#51.” The sonata was a product of Haydn’s second visit to London in 1794 and demonstrates a much greater sense of stylistic freedom, as if Haydn was by now attempting to go beyond the restrictions of traditional Viennese classicism. He was to live only 15 more years and by 1809 the European musical world had very much moved on.
This set of finely crafted music elegantly played is a wonderful addition to the catalogue, proof once again (if proof is needed), of Hamelin’s outstanding musicianship and ability to excel at anything he chooses to play.
