Haydn has given us a piano piece: Capriccio in G. I have never seen it programmed or heard it played. At first reading I find it less than compelling.
Hey! Wait a minute! Haydn? Less than compelling? Who do you think you are!
I take another look this time paying attention to the note values and the "repetitions" -- oh! how he loved repetitions!
I begin to get it.
Next time I pay attention to my own gut reactions. I begin to hear the tonal non sequitors that call for extraordinary reading.
I go back to the title and, newly empowered by my observations, let the piece rip.
It is a riot.
Maybe that's why it's one of the two late works after which he wrote "Laus Dei."
