joseph haydn (1732-1809)

Piano trio no.26 in f sharp minor (hob.XV.26)

allegro -- adagio cantabile -- finale: tempo di menuetto (duration 16 min)

 

Haydn’s thirty-one piano trios form an important part of his chamber music output, comparable with his unsurpassed string quartets. They are however much less popular on the concert podium, perhaps because of the fact that in many the cello part is not really self-sufficient, often simply  doubling the piano’s left hand. Some trios were even first published as sonatas voor piano with violin and cello accompaniment!

 

His piano trios contain much beautiful music even if they are as chamber music less developed than for instance Beethoven’s or Schubert’s. Chamber music was Haydn’s natural biosphere just as the orchestra was and his work as a pioneer shouldn’t be underestimated.

 

The brilliant trio in f sharp minor belongs to a group of six trios which haydn wrote during his second visit to london in 1794. Along with numbers 24 and 25 it was dedicated to rebecca schoeter, widow of the pianist and composer johann samuel schroeter, j.c. bach’s successor as master of the king’s music. Haydn had established contact with her four years earlier during his first visit when she asked him for piano lessons. An intimate friendship came about which even continued by letter when haydn was back home and which certainly can be seen as one of the reasons for his return to the great city in 1794.