PIANO SONATA

- Middle to late 18th century: composers wrote keyboard sonatas to meet the demands of amateurs for music to be played at home or small gatherings

- Domenico Scarlatti: o One of the most active composers, wrote 555 sonataso His sonatas were written in balanced binary form and had one or two

movemnts (unlike the sonatas described by Koch)- CPE Bach:

Another important composer of keyboard sonatas Exemplified the “empfindsam style”: emotional and surprising character

comprised of abrupt harmonic and textural changes Dramatic melodic turns and pauses

- 1793: Heinrich Koch wrote and essay on composition and defined sonata or “1st mov” form as an expanded binary form comprised on three large periods: 1st period: presents thematic ideas, moving from the tonic to the dominant. 2nd period: states de opening theme on the dominant followed by harmonic

digression, ending on dominant chord that transitions to the final period. 3rd period: Restates the material of the first period but begins and ends in

tonic.

- Piano Sonata in A Major, K. 331, Mozart, 1783: Follows thematic and formal structure described by Koch 1st theme comprised in three characters:

o Singing melody w alberti bass accompanimento Contrapuntal styleo Hunting style w horn imitation in left hand

The use of primary, transitional, secondary and closing themes to construct the rounded binary form with three periods allowed composers to present a variety of ideas and expression with the elegant aesthetic of the classical era.

Mozart’s creativity in combining styles that were popular at the time satisfied the performer and the form was a showcase for his skill to do so.

- Sonata in c minor (“Pathetique”), Beethoven, 1798: 15 years later, Beethoven expanded piano sonata’s structure, character and

unity btw movms. Wrote many of his sonatas in 4 movms. 1st mov: Slow introduction marked Grave, unusual for piano sonatas

More intense Allegro than it was seen before 2nd mov: Slow & lyrical 3rd mov: sonata-rondo movm. with serious characters instead of the usually

light of a sonata-rondo

The principal theme of this movmt resembles the 1st mov. secondary theme.

- Piano sonata-fantasy no. 2 in g#minor, Op.19, Scriabin, 1897:o Scriabin uses sonata as a basis for further expansiono Both movements in Allegro form, improvisational styleo Contain exposition, development and recapitulation sections of the

classical sonata w an innovative treatment of themes.o 1st mov:

Scriabin employs three principal themes linked w short transitional passages instead of using a transitional or closing theme

Used the sonata to convey a program (for this sonata he composed to convey the image of the sea)

Exposition has a traditional progression in the 1st two themes (g#minor to B Major)

Recapitulation stays in E Major and never returns to the tonic key.