Haydn, Joseph.

in the hand of Haydn's copyist Johann Elssler, with eight discreet annotations ("x") to the margins of five pages, probably by Haydn himself,  pencil annotations to title in another hand, early ink annotation over the music by an early owner ("Written for [...] Haydn",



12 pages, including Haydn's inscribed title page, oblong 4to (23.2 x 31cms), English 8-stave paper, watermark of a fleur-de-lys in a shield, lettered GR, probably London 1794-1795, printed auction catalogue description (1875) attached to the foot of the title (" [Lot] 163 Haydn...This Sonata was written by Haydn's Secretary for Mrs Montelieu and signed by Haydn when in London"), fitted satin-lined folder, paper-loss to first leaf affecting owner's inscription and several notes of the opening theme, a few tears repaired, [Hoboken (Haydn), i, 792 "Abschriften"); TNG, (Haydn work-list) X/ 6]



This is an authorized manuscript of one of Haydn's greatest and most dramatic piano pieces, used by Haydn as part of his final revisions Haydn has signed the title page and marked several errors and revisions in the same ink as his signature (on pages 5, 6, 8 9 and 10); some of these highlight copying errors, but others relate to passages revised by Haydn in the autograph and in another Elssler copy at the Gesellschaft  der Musikfreunde (see Plantinga & Johnson, p.146: "Thus this copy too was drawn into that ongoing process of revision and refinement in which all the authoritative sources of the Andante participated").

Leon Plantinga and G Pierre Johnson, "Haydn's Andante con variazioni: Compositional Process, Text and Genre", in Studies in the History of Music, vol 3, (New York 1992), pp. 129-167.  

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Here the piece bears the same title ("Sonata") as in Haydn's autograph manuscript (in the New York Public Library), from which it was evidently copied, several years before it was published.  This manuscript was sold in an auction in London in 1875, but was untraced by either H.C. Robbins Landon or Hoboken.

The Andante con variazioni is notable for "the totally unexpected and violent emotion of the coda" (Landon), which,  together with its F minor tonality, recalls the fiery works of Haydn's Sturm und Drang period: the fine sonatas in G minor and C minor.  The work was composed for Mozart's most talented pupil Barbara von Ployer in 1793.  Haydn evidently regarded it as a special work, held back from publication until 1799 and  available only to the dedicatee and certain other players.  This copy was written out in London for a Mrs Montelieu, presumably a good player, but about whom so far little has been discovered.

In his autograph list of works composed in London, Haydn called this work "Sonate in F minore" (Landon, p.316), and on his autograph as "Sonate", as here; however, it is better known under the published title (1799), as a set of variations in F minor ("Andante con variazioni" , etc).