Fantasia (Capriccio) in C major Hob.XVII:4 (1789)

“It’s only one piece, rather long, but not at all difficult,” said Haydn of the Fantasia in C. Well, it might be long in terms of the number of bars (423) but it is taken at such a pace (Presto) that it lasts no more than a few minutes (6). As for it being “not at all difficult,” it is a virtuoso inspiration that requires not only digital agility from the pianist but also the imagination to cope with its many spontaneous modulations and the special colouring so poetically applied to the two recalls of its hunting-horn second subject.