Piano Sonata in A major, D. 664 (Schubert)
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The Piano Sonata No. 13 in A major
, D.664 (Op.120) is a sonata for solo piano composed by Franz Schubert
in the summer of 1819. The work is in three movements:
Well regarded among pianists, the "Little" A major sonata is so called to distinguish it from the hefty 1828 sonata in the same key. In it we witness the growth of an artist, beginning to develop his own mature musical voice. The manuscript, completed in July of 1819, was dedicated to Josephine von Koller of Steyr in Upper Austria, whom he considered to be "very pretty" and "a good pianist." Indeed, the lyrical, buoyant nature of this sonata fits well with the image of a young Schubert in love, living in a summery Austrian countryside, which he also considered to be "unimaginably lovely."
Unlike the somewhat awkward and unforgiving technical demands of his other piano sonatas around this time, the A major is clean and straighforward, with a dulcet, chimelike melody. Indeed, this was the first of Schubert's piano sonatas where the sonata form as perfected by his idol, Beethoven, does not seem wrestled with; rather, it is a "joyous breakthrough," a carefree triumph over the strict rules of construction. That is not to say, of course, that he disregards them. Finding his way merely seems more effortless than some of his previous attempts at the sonata form (many of which were never finished). This is especially evident in the exposition and development sections of the third movement. For all of its greatness, it is unfortunate that the manuscript to this "little" sonata has been lost.
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
, D.664 (Op.120) is a sonata for solo piano composed by Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
in the summer of 1819. The work is in three movements:
- I. Allegro moderato
- II. Andante in D majorD majorD major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor....
- III. Allegro
Well regarded among pianists, the "Little" A major sonata is so called to distinguish it from the hefty 1828 sonata in the same key. In it we witness the growth of an artist, beginning to develop his own mature musical voice. The manuscript, completed in July of 1819, was dedicated to Josephine von Koller of Steyr in Upper Austria, whom he considered to be "very pretty" and "a good pianist." Indeed, the lyrical, buoyant nature of this sonata fits well with the image of a young Schubert in love, living in a summery Austrian countryside, which he also considered to be "unimaginably lovely."
Unlike the somewhat awkward and unforgiving technical demands of his other piano sonatas around this time, the A major is clean and straighforward, with a dulcet, chimelike melody. Indeed, this was the first of Schubert's piano sonatas where the sonata form as perfected by his idol, Beethoven, does not seem wrestled with; rather, it is a "joyous breakthrough," a carefree triumph over the strict rules of construction. That is not to say, of course, that he disregards them. Finding his way merely seems more effortless than some of his previous attempts at the sonata form (many of which were never finished). This is especially evident in the exposition and development sections of the third movement. For all of its greatness, it is unfortunate that the manuscript to this "little" sonata has been lost.