FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Piano Variations

20 Variations in G major, Hob.XVII:2
6 Variations in C major, Hob.XVII:5
Capriccio in G major, Hob.XVII:1, "Acht Sauschneider mussen sein"
12 Variations in E flat major, Hob.XVII:3
Variations on the theme Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser in G major,
Hob.III:77: II
Jeno Jando, piano

Divertimento in F major, Hob.XVIIa:1, "Il maestro e lo scolare"
Jeno Jando, piano / Zsuzsa Kollar, piano

Naxos 8.553972

Jeno Jando is a house pianist for Naxos, with a vast discography, based upon a prodigious fluency and memory; apparently he rarely needs to refer to scores at recording sessions.* Having done everything else, he has come to these seductive minor works of Haydn, and the CD proves unexpectedly enjoyable.

The playing is clean and never seems to descend to routine or auto-pilot, which could easily happen. However, I do find modern pianos (his is unnamed) increasingly anachronistic, and it is remarkable how minor music of the period comes to life on appropriate instruments.

Piano duettists will enjoy looking out for the "Il maestro e lo scolare" piece, which gives plenty of opportunity to the secondo player.

Reccommended, but do try to find the Joanna Leach CD with the F minor variations, , the finest of them all, listed below.

* "The busiest man on the keyboard." Daily Telegraph newspaper (UK).Jenö Jandó is one of the most prolific artists in the history of classical music recording.

Thalia Myers has recorded all the Haydn Variations on a Fazioli [USK 1217] and a sample can be heard on her website

Joanna Leach, a devotee of sensitively restored authentic instruments, has the F minor Variations and three sonatas on a very desirable Haydn CD, played on a Stoddart square piano:[Athene ATHCD2] now available from Divine Art.