Sonata in G, Hob. XVI:27: I. Allegro con brio
The first movement of Haydn's Sonata in G major, Hob. XVI:27, marked Allegro con brio (quick, with spirit), is an intermediate piece in 2/4, Octotune grade 6 of 8: a lively tune of dotted rhythms, repeated notes and quick turns over a busy left hand.
At a glance
| Composer | Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate: grade 6 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: 1 sharp (F♯) |
| Time | 2/4 |
| Tempo | 120 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 143 measures, about 2:23 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | G3 to D6 |
| Left hand | B1 to C5 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Sonata in G, Hob. XVI:27: I. Allegro con brio | 6 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
The opening movement of one of Joseph Haydn's sonatas in G major, from the 1770s. It is marked Allegro con brio: quick, with spirit. Octotune has all three movements; this is the first.
How it is built. It starts on a pick-up, D, and the right hand climbs G A B C in a dotted rhythm, then taps out repeated Ds before spinning a quick turn of sixteenths. The left hand is busy, often playing sixteenth notes under the tune, keeping the energy up. Like most first movements of the time, it presents its tunes, travels through other keys, and brings them back.
The tricky parts
- Repeated notes. Light and even; changing fingers on them helps.
- A busy left hand. Sixteenths for long stretches. Keep it soft and steady, under the tune.
- Quick turns and dotted rhythms in the right hand. Crisp and exact.
- Accidentals. C sharp, D sharp and others as the music visits other keys.
Practice plan
- Left hand alone in Play along at 50% speed, until the sixteenths are steady.
- Right hand alone in Wait for me.
- Both hands, section by section with the loop, at 50% speed; then raise it.
The whole sonata: the Menuetto and the Presto.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, which teaches F sharp. The other accidentals go beyond it.
Questions
Is the first movement of Haydn's Hob. XVI:27 hard?
It is an intermediate piece, Octotune grade 6 of 8. Its left hand is busy with sixteenths for long stretches, and the right hand's quick figures and many accidentals need care.
Credits and license
- Music: Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
- Typeset by Bas Wassink for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece