"Conversations with Franz"

3/10/2024

Welcome! You're probably here cause you are nerdy like me. What is this? Franz who? Franz Joseph Haydn of course, who else. Before you click away, hear me out. When the pandemic struck in 2020, like many people I found myself spending increasing time at home. Additionally, as the pandemic drug on I found myself returning to my primary instrument - piano. Finally, when I completed my studies in graduate school, I decided to take some time away from everything. I left academic pursuits, got a day job, and a couple years later here we are.

Recently, I've come to realize that my primary pursuit and interest has always been musicology. (I'm on subject, I promise). As I've started to come back to my academic pursuits, I decided in 2022 to learn/be able to play through all Haydn's piano sonatas over the next few years. And in doing so, I would like to write about them. This will not be a music theory campaign, or the un-blinded revelry of historical musicology. Instead, as I study and learn and dissect these pieces (informally), I want to uncover their personalities and in doing so consider: What does this music mean today? Why do we still resonate with this music? And what of their quirks and blips and Haydn's own development.

I'd love for you to come along with me while I take this journey.