Sonata in G, Hob. XVI:27: III. Presto
The Presto, the finale of Haydn's Sonata in G major, Hob. XVI:27, is a quick, witty movement in 2/4, Octotune grade 6 of 8: a tune that runs up broken chords in eighths and sixteenths over a light 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 | 152 measures, about 2:32 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | F♯3 to D6 |
| Left hand | G1 to D5 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Sonata in G, Hob. XVI:27: III. Presto | 6 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
The last movement of one of Joseph Haydn's sonatas in G major, from the 1770s. It is marked Presto: very quick. Haydn loved to end with wit and energy, and this finale does.
How it is built. It starts on a pick-up, D, and the tune runs up a G major chord, G B D, then answers with a step down; the next phrase climbs through an A minor chord. The right hand moves in eighths and sixteenths, the left hand in quarters and eighths, lightly. The music travels through other keys, with sharps written in, before returning to G.
The tricky parts
- Speed. Presto is fast. Learn it slowly first; speed comes last.
- Broken chords. Read each group as a chord shape.
- Leaps. Both hands jump widely, the left hand over two octaves at times. Look ahead.
- Accidentals. C sharp, D sharp, G sharp and others in the middle sections.
Practice plan
- Hands separately in Wait for me, a section at a time.
- Both hands at 40–50% speed with the loop on the hardest passages.
- Play along, raising the speed only while it stays light and clean.
The whole sonata: the Allegro con brio and the Menuetto.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, which teaches F sharp. The other accidentals and the lowest bass notes go beyond it.
Questions
Is Haydn's Presto from Hob. XVI:27 hard?
It is an intermediate piece, Octotune grade 6 of 8. It is quick, with running eighths and sixteenths in the right hand, wide leaps and many accidentals.
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