Alfred Brendel - Haydn: Piano Sonatas Hob. XVI-20, XVI-49 (1990)

Among his favourite composers, Alfred Brendel has developed a long and fruitful partnership with Joseph Haydn. Exponent of the Viennese Classicism, Haydn seems to be one of the most suitable of composers to Brendel's playing style, from several reasons.

Mainly, both the composer and his interpreter exhibit generously quite similar qualities when making music, such as: an unfailing wit, a refined sense of humour, and a tireless disposition to play - to play with emotions, with unanswered questions, even with philosophical or ethical themes. Yet, in this intelligent game nothing gets strident. Neither dark-hued accents nor colours of despair arise. A smile is never missing, even though the mood of a slow movement in a certain sonata or some variations could be entirely serious. Everything is light, though - or rather for - deep settled in tradition. The equilibrium comes from a special disposal of the musician with regard to inner and outer worlds. Brendel feels and knows how to convey these particular features, like no other Haydn performer.