Joseph Haydn
1732 - 1809
Haydn's sonatas provide a fascinating record of the piano's ascent in the latter half
of the 18th century. The early sonatas exhibit a treatment of tones, where the rise
and fall of the pitch is not essential to performance; something the harpsichord
could not handle. The middle sonatas (1767-1779) show variety and expression playing
a much larger role in the pieces, especially in adagio sections (see the A-flat
sonata, L.31, H.46). The last sonatas (1784-1794) play with light and shade in away
that could only be considered 'pianistic.'
Haydn's major contribution to piano literature is that of being the first
composer to indicate the use of the pedals, in the C major Sonata (L.60). However,
some contest this claiming that Daniel Steibelt published
the first music with pedaling indications in his 6me Pot Pourri and
his Melange op.10, both of which appeared in Paris in 1793.
Another music 33 page with more information on Chopin
Read the New Grove Dictionary of Music Article on Haydn
