Gipsy rondo from Piano trio no.39 in G major Hob. XV/25
Composer
Haydn, Franz Joseph
Year
1795
Editor
Arranger
Martinet, Leigh
Year Arranged
1997
Original Instrumentation
Piano trio
Type of Arrangement
2
Availability
1
Publisher
Baltimore Horn Club
Year Published
1997
Catalogue Number
BHC.71
Sheet Music Format
A4, SCore (4) & parts (4x2=8)
Horns
4
Additional Equipment
Others
Other Instruments
Difficulty
3
Duration
4
Structure / Movements
One movement.
Presto.
Clefs
Treble, bass
Meters
2/4
Key signatures
1b, 4b
Range
Horn 1: b - a2
Horn 2: B - ab2
Horn 3: f - a2
Horn 4: B - eb2
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
Hadyn’s Piano trio no.39 in F major Hob. 15/25 is perhaps his best known piano trio (which is probably why Martinet calls is Trio no.1). The Rondo finale in “Hungarian” style is where the nickname “gypsy” comes from.
As could be expected from the name, both “rondo” and “gypsy” make a hornists life difficult. The rating above is for the original speed, which, given that this is a trio for piano and strings, is quite fast. Also, as with all Martinet arrangements, it’s not like there is a difficult first horn parts and that’s it. The fast runs are distributed evenly between all the parts, and while horns 1 and 3 might be higher and therefore more difficult in terms of range, horns 2 and 4 are challenged by the alternation of runs in the middle register and bass playing in the pedal register.
Nevertheless, this is an incredibly fun piece to play, and if played well, even perhaps slightly under tempo, will make a lasting impression on the concert audience with the required virtuosity.