The Lost Haydn Sonatas

The Essay

Phil Hebblethwaite examines five classical musical hoaxes and controversies, from the early twentieth century to the modern day. These are origin stories that have fooled and perplexed some of the greatest experts. In an age of misinformation, when faking it has never been more prevalent, the series unravels the stories of some of the most brazen and confounding composer controversies. What is the appeal of engineering a hoax? And why do we fall for them so easily? It’s a journey that raises questions about scholarship, authenticity and our faith in expert opinion.

Thirty years ago, the classical music world hailed the discovery of six lost Haydn sonatas. Only it soon turned out that they probably weren’t written by Haydn at all, and the finger of suspicion was pointed at an obscure German musician. In this third essay of the series, Phil explores the fallout from the scandal. Can a work of art still have value if it's not authentic?

Written and presented by Phil Hebblethwaite Producer: Jo Glanville Editor: Joanne Rowntree Researcher: Heather Dempsey Studio Engineer: Dan King

With thanks to Michael Beckerman and Frederick Reece

A Loftus Media Production for BBC Radio 4