Piano Literature : Sonatas and Variations

Lecture VI: Proto-Romanticism in London, Prague and Vienna

Industrial and Musical Developments

Improvements to the Pianoforte
Expansion of Keyboard Range

Cast-Iron Casing, Improved Power and Projection

Compositional Trends
Virtuosic Figuration as Developmental Material
Chordal and Octave Technique
Italian Bel Canto Imitation (Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini)
Decorative Right-Hand Passagework

Transitional West European Composers

Muzio Clementi (1752-1832): 64 Sonatas
Sonata in G minor op. 50 #3 "Didone abbandonata: Scena tragica "
Influence of C. P. E. Bach Clementi Piano Firm (est. London, 1798)

John Field (1782-1837): 4 Sonatas, 17 Nocturnes
Student and Assistant of Clementi Stylistic Predecessor to Chopin

Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837): 9 Sonatas
Sonata in F minor op. 20 "Hommage a Mozart"
Student of Mozart
Solo Editions of the Mozart Piano Concertos and Cadenzas
Rival of Beethoven as Improvisor

George Frederick Pinto (1785-1806): 4 Sonatas

Bohemian (Czech and Slovak) Composers

Jiri Benda (1722-1795); 55 Sonatas
                                        "The Art of the Variation "

Jan Ladislav Dussek ( 1760-1812): 40+ Sonatas
Sonata in E-flat major op. 44 "The Farewell" (dedicated to Clementi)
Sonata in F-sharp minor op. 61 'Elegie Harmoniqne "
Sonata in A-flat major op. 70 "Le Retour a Paris"
Sonata in F minor op. 77 "L' invocation"

Vaclav Jan Tomasek (1774-1850): Eclogues, Dithyrambs
Stylistic Predecessor to Schubert

Jan Hugo Vorisek (1791-1825): Sonata in B-flat minor op. 20
                                                    Impromptus
Student of Tomasek

Listening List VI : Beethoven's Sonatas and Variations

Sonata in C minor op, 13 "Pathetique"

I.Grave-Allegro di molto e con brio

II.Adagio cantabile

III.Rondo (Allegro)

Sonata in C-sharp minor op. 27 #2 "Moonlight "

I.Adagio Sostenuto

II.Allegertto

III.Presto

Sonata in C major op. 53 "Waldstein"
Sonata in F minor op. 57 "Appassionata"
Sonata in E-flat major op. 81a "Les Adieux"
Sonata in A major op. 101
Sonata in B-flat major op. 106 "Hammerklavier"
Sonata m E major op. 109
Sonata m A-flat major op. 110
Sonata w C minor op. 111
Thirty-two Variations in C minor WoO. 80
Fifteen Variations and Fugue op. 35 "Eroica"
Thirty-three Variations on a Waltz of Diabelli op. 120

Beethoven and the Culmination of the Sonata Idea