Piano Forum

Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: musefanemail on October 21, 2012, 11:33:47 PM

Title: Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?
Post by: musefanemail on October 21, 2012, 11:33:47 PM
Hi,

I wonder are there any differences, or is it just the way they name published works arbitrarly?
Like Schumann's sonatas have Piano Sonata no.2 and the other two being the Grand Sonata no 1 and 3. Also, Tchaikovsky the Grand Piano Sonata has been called Piano Sonata no 1 sometimes.
I think there aren't different in length, movements, and stuff. What do you think?
Title: Re: Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?
Post by: faulty_damper on October 22, 2012, 01:37:22 AM
It's a marketing thing.
Title: Re: Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?
Post by: 49410enrique on October 22, 2012, 01:42:58 AM
It's a marketing thing.

i aways thought it was just the composer being cocky like when they call a rondo or a variations 'brilliante(s)' lol ;D
Title: Re: Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?
Post by: musefanemail on October 22, 2012, 03:24:54 AM
Lol, srsly? What other alternate names or solo pieces that can be called a sonata anyway?
I don't know that marketing matters that much back then.  :)
Title: Re: Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?
Post by: faulty_damper on October 22, 2012, 03:39:32 AM
Yes, it did!  It might have been the 19th century, but the market was full of music publications and one way to distinguish one sonata from the 100 other sonatas written at the time was to put some kind of distinguishing name to it.

"Sonata in G major" by XYZ sounds exactly the same as "Sonata in G major" by ZZTOP.  But if you put "Grand Sonate", that distinguishes it enough from the crowd.

That's one reason why so many pieces, especially good ones, had nicknames provided by the publisher, not the composer.
Title: Re: Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?
Post by: j_menz on October 22, 2012, 03:51:28 AM
"Sonata in G major" by XYZ sounds exactly the same as "Sonata in G major" by ZZTOP.  But if you put "Grand Sonate", that distinguishes it enough from the crowd.

They probably thought that, but a quick google of "Grand Sonata" will show just how many of them had the same cunning plan.  ;)
Title: Re: Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?
Post by: musefanemail on October 22, 2012, 11:26:16 PM
Yes, it did!  It might have been the 19th century, but the market was full of music publications and one way to distinguish one sonata from the 100 other sonatas written at the time was to put some kind of distinguishing name to it.

"Sonata in G major" by XYZ sounds exactly the same as "Sonata in G major" by ZZTOP.  But if you put "Grand Sonate", that distinguishes it enough from the crowd.

That's one reason why so many pieces, especially good ones, had nicknames provided by the publisher, not the composer.

I see.

Thanks for the replies, guys.