Welcome to the world
of the Haydn piano sonata in the sonorities
Haydn would have experienced, one of
accomplished compositions and playing,
here from Richard Burnett. Musical ideas
volley forth and develop in quicksilver
fashion.
There are plenty of
single discs of Haydn piano sonatas
but not so many featuring fortepiano
and fewer still, if any, which do what
this one does. It compares the classical
Viennese fortepiano, here one made by
Michael Rosenberger around 1798 with
the classical English, one from John
Broadwood and Sons dated 1801.
Rosenberger first.
An instrument comfortably recorded,
I’d say a little closer than fashionable
today, without the brilliance of a modern
piano but its own subtle colourings
and body, tonal weight and spread. Haydn’s
Sonata in A flat has a boldly skipping
opening theme, then a second theme (tr.
1 0:22) with still more confident start.
Ornamentation is an integral part of
the expression: trills in the first
theme, appoggiaturas the second. But
the second’s mood changes into a more
song like one (0:43). A good example
of the fortepiano’s tonal variety comes
in the crescendi realized by
Burnett here and in the later descending
cascades from 1:14, using the piano’s
sustaining mechanism. The exposition
repeat is a touch more reflective. After
a development (3:20) which highlights
and varies the second theme, the recapitulation
of the first (4:51) is more chastened
and refined. Burnett doesn’t make post
exposition repeats for the first 3 sonatas
first movements in this disc though
they are marked in the Henle Urtext.
Two Minuets occupy
the centre of this A flat sonata. The
first, straightforwardly spruce, is
played with polish and a slightly clipped
manner. The second (tr. 2 0:54) is more
lyrical and flowing. Here Burnett makes
appropriate use of this fortepiano’s
moderator which mellows the sound towards
a sotto voce character. He also
supplies a natural and effective, though
unmarked, touch of rallentando
midway through the second strain, especially
in the repeat (1:29).
The rondo finale is
quite a tour de force in terms
of its elaboration of frisky rondo theme
and more reflective episodes. Then there
are surprises: one episode (tr. 3 1:54)
is a brilliant spilling of notes and
one rondo theme return (2:51) graced
simply by slight elaboration. The sustaining
mechanism produces an exciting growing
clamour from 3:29 in a virtuoso episode.
The moderator supplies a softly receding
farewell in the playful coda (4:39)
to give even more gleeful effect to
the loud final chord.
I compared Christine Schornsheim whose
complete set of Haydn piano sonatas
was recorded in 2003-4 (Capriccio 49404).
Here are the comparative timings.Welcom
Timings |
I |
II |
III |
tt |
Burnett |
6:20 |
2:10 |
4:58 |
13:28 |
Schornsheim |
5:49 |
2:07 (1:43) |
4:46 |
12:42 (18) |
Schornsheim is consistently
swifter, particularly in the Minuets,
where the bracketed timing provides
the direct comparison as she repeats
both strains in Minuet 1 da capo
whereas Burnett makes no repeats there.
Her style suits the greater brilliance
of her instrument, a fortepiano by Louis
Dulcken made in Munich in 1793. Its
tone is thinner than Burnett’s Rosenberger,
the recording not quite so close. The
effect is more brittle, closer to harpsichord.
Schornsheim treats the work more classically
than Burnett, playing with more even
tone and pulse and with less marked
dynamic contrast. Her first movement
is immediately more robust in articulation,
the development more yielding. Given
that the tempo marking is ‘moderato’
I prefer Burnett’s more relaxed approach
which allows the musical line more scope
to sing and then presents a more intense
development.
Schornsheim’s Minuet
1 is more dashing but somewhat brusque
in its power, though calmer on return
after a glittering Minuet 2. Burnett’s
Minuet 1 is neater and Minuet 2 of a
more comely melodiousness. Schornsheim’s
precipitous rondo finale is more vivacious
than Burnett’s but less humorous. The
brilliance and floridity of display
come across vividly but Burnett finds
more reflective elements by way of contrast.
The episodes with running semiquavers
are real hothouses of virtuoso swagger
and Schornsheim is authentically more
ostentatious in decorating the fermatas,
where the music comes to a pause, which
Burnett leaves plain. Schornsheim also
provides more decoration in the repeats.
Yet she misses Burnett’s grace in the
simpler elaboration of the rondo theme.
Next comes the Sonata
in A. The opening movement (tr. 4) first
theme is a forthright proposition floridly
elaborated. The second theme (0:36)
is like the same personality in thoughtful
mood but with a skittish tail. The development
(3:28) is more mercurial, the second
theme now more reflective, while Burnett
demonstrates skilled negotiation of
ornamentation is an integral part of
the expression. The recapitulation (5:10)
is more ethereal, partly because in
higher register. And what a lovely refined
sheen the Rosenburger fortepiano has
here. Burnett presents the whole movement
seamlessly as well as giving it character.
For the second movement
Minuet (tr. 5) Burnett finds a gentle
lilting flow, aided by the fortepiano’s
moderator, with just a little dance
pointing. And a mite more when lingering
a touch longer at the repeated apex
of phrases, most of all in the da
capo at 1:58. The trio starts perkier,
then falls under the spell of the overall
mood before rejuvenating. It all sounds
a natural experience but the score shows
Haydn’s clever musical trick. This is
a Minuet and Trio ‘al Rovescio’. The
second strain of both is simply the
first strain played backwards. A musical
palindrome.
The finale (tr. 6)
is fast and shimmering. Again it allows
Burnett to make colourful use of the
Rosenberger fortepiano’s moderator for
a suddenly softer descending cascade
in the repeated second section at 0:35,
followed in the next descent at 0:38
with the sustaining mechanism getting
louder.
Here are the comparative timings with
Schornsheim for the Sonata in A major.Welcom
Timings |
I |
II |
III |
tt |
Burnett |
6:40 |
2:11 |
0:46 |
9:37 |
Schornsheim |
6:20 |
1:56 (1:38) |
0:51 |
9:07 (8:49) |
In the first movement
first theme Schornsheim is firmer and
more serious and intent in the second,
so its humorous close makes a rather
odd contrast. The overall effect from
Schornsheim’s Dulcken fortepiano is
grander, more powerful, brittle and
sober. But I miss the singing grace
and almost balletic quality Burnett’s
Rosenberger brings to the second theme,
accommodating its contrasts as if part
of one rounded individual.
Schornsheim’s Minuet
and Trio are livelier, unlike Burnett
with ornamentation added for the repeats,
but hectic. Again, unlike Burnett, Schornsheim
makes the repeats also in the da
capo. You don’t feel the leaping
character of original dance steps as
with Burnett who is always more beguiling
on the ear. Burnett’s finale is, unusually,
faster than Schornsheim’s but doesn’t
feel so because of his lighter approach,
though still brilliant and with dynamic
contrast. Schornsheim is more forceful,
especially in making the final descents
louder in the first strain and the repeat
of the second.
Now Burnett on this
Amon Ra disc turns to the English Broadwood
piano for two of Haydn’s three English
sonatas. In the Sonata in C you can
feel Haydn as well as Burnett exploiting
its fuller sonorities and dynamic contrasts.
Here’s an instrument with powerful impact.
The first movement (tr. 7) first theme
is robust. With a clipped descending
figure incorporating short silences
as its basis, Haydn is able to extend
it both horizontally and vertically,
with brilliant embellishments, as if
the theme comes with variations inbuilt.
Not until 1:34 does a second theme of
maturity and tenderness attach itself
as a kind of comment on a variant of
the first theme. The development from
4:33 is very much a world of its own,
rather dark, probing and penetrating.
Similarly the highly
ornamental nature adds to the intensity
of the expressive slow second movement.
Haydn isn’t concerned to write a lovely
melody but to use articulate surroundings
to make it grow in response. For all
that and unexpectedly it can become
tellingly inward, as in the reprise
at 3:35 and coda. But it’s an intellectual
rather than soulful expressiveness with
an element of experimentation about
it you find throughout this sonata.
Most of all in the quick finale, which
is a kind of manic Minuet, stopping
in mid flight, laced with hectic running
quavers, triumphant arpeggios and developing
pauses as an integral feature.
Here are the comparative timings with
Schornsheim for the Sonata in C major.Welcom
Timings |
I |
II |
III |
tt |
Burnett |
8:56 |
5:55 |
2:44 |
17:35 |
Schornsheim |
11:26 (7:37) |
4:53 |
2:20 |
18:39 (15:16) |
Schornsheim misleadingly
looks slower because, unlike Burnett,
she observes the post exposition repeat
in the first movement. The bracketed
entries show the direct comparison.
Schornsheim plays this and the following
Sonata in D also on a Broadwood fortepiano,
one made in 1804. So there isn’t the
earlier distinctiveness in piano sound,
though her drier acoustic and/or recording
makes her fortepiano sound more antique.
Schornsheim’s first movement has a keener
edge than Burnett’s. It’s more brittle
and dramatic, even to the point of being
histrionic, but the density of the accompanying
figuration is given less attention than
Burnett who integrates all the movement’s
elements, musical and psychological,
more successfully. On the other hand,
to the slow movement Schornsheim brings
more contrast between the rhetorical
and lyrical aspects, clarifying and
honouring the latter by slightly more
expansive treatment. I prefer this approach
as I do also her lighter, straightforward
presentation of the finale which gives
even more piquant effect to its disruptive
pauses.
Finally on this Amon
Ra disc comes the Sonata in D which
seems the most experimental and modern
in its terseness and kinetic energy,
its sense of continuous evolution seamlessly
presented by Burnett. The first movement
is germinated from 2 contrasting phrases:
a purposeful and buoyant one to which
a graceful and carefree one responds.
Then a beamingly songlike melody enters
(tr. 10 0:23) never heard so fully again.
Haydn focuses on the contrast between
limpid and trenchant descents.
Nothing more left but
a very fast finale of impulsive motion.
Were it for orchestra it’d be a scherzo
chasing its own tail. But Burnett shows
it’s also a transformation from dun,
low register beginnings via a cliffhanging
precipitate pause to gold, triumphantly
assured high register. Enjoy Burnett’s
exuberant sforzandi, those sudden
strong accents, and the closing peal
yet again exploiting the Broadwood piano’s
sonority.
Here are the comparative timings with
Schornsheim for the Sonata in D major.Welcom
Timings |
I |
II |
tt |
Burnett |
4:20 |
1:51 |
6:11 |
Schornsheim |
4:12 |
1:44 |
5:56 |
I find Burnett’s slightly
more leisurely manner preferable. In
the first movement Schornsheim’s contrasts
are less marked. The more lyrical material
is neat but not as creamy and characterful
as Burnett’s. Schornsheim’s more insistent
progress, however, provides another
type of seamlessness, one with initially
more verve but becoming dreamier in
the central part of the development,
within which Burnett (tr. 10 2:00) still
finds contrast. Schornsheim’s finale
is marred by bruising sforzandi,
like the application of hobnailed boots
which injure the appreciation of forward
pulse.
To sum up, time hasn’t
diminished the quality of Burnett’s
performances and the recording still
sounds well. The only limiting factor
is the full price tag for a CD which,
matching its original LP release, plays
for only 47 minutes. Amon Ra might like
to consider Telarc’s practice of making
selected earlier releases available
at medium price without change of catalogue
number or packaging.
Michael Greenhalgh
for
details
Richard Burnett (Rosenberger fortepiano,
*Broadwood fortepiano) 
