Chopin Sonatas

[arensky]

For discussion of recordings please go to Stevie's post; I guess we may discuss the pieces here, and there, too. Inquiring mind wants to know what y'all think!

[arensky]

                                             Bump....

[jehangircama]

i've only heard 2 and 3 (only once) so my favourite is naturally the 2nd. the 1st mvt is really haunting and soulfull. its a lovely piece, though i don't get the 4th mvt. it doesn't fit in for me

[chopiabin]

I used to prefer the second, but for the past few years I've been in love with the third - it's such a masterpiece.

[paris]

2nd one op.35 is one of my favorite works for piano solo. 1st mvt is absolutely insanely wonderful. in fact every mvt from this sonata has its own story. all 4 mvts are so different each other but thats what makes this sonata so amazing. i agree with you jehangircama- 4th mvt is a bit unusual, but i think chopin wasn't writing movement after movement.  i read somewhere he firstly wrote funeral march and then decided to put it in as 3rd mvt.

[musicsdarkangel]

Very difficult choice between 2 and 3, I choose 3.

[jehangircama]

yes, he wrote the funeral march first and then built the rest of the sonata around it.

[frederic]

Haha why do everyone tend to go for the flamboyant Chopin and not the poetic Chopin?
My vote goes to 3rd. definitly.

[arensky]

Haha why do everyone tend to go for the flamboyant Chopin and not the poetic Chopin?
My vote goes to 3rd. definitly.

Ah but the poetic Chopin is the flamboyant Chopin is the poetic Chopin.

True he is less flamboyant than Liszt, but Liszt is also poetic, though not as much as Chopin.....

And is not the 3rd Sonata also flamboyant, particularly it's Finale? I think it's just the Funeral March (not flamboyant) that gives the 2nd Sonata it's edge in the poll....

[arensky]

da bump

Not the better Sonata, but your favorite.

[demented cow]

the 3rd is my clear favourite. I like the scherzos and slow movements of 2 and 3 to about the same degree, but for me the 1st movt of the 3rd is more beautiful than that of the 2nd. (though admittedly its development sucks a bit). The 2nd subject in the 1st movt of the 3rd is IMO one of Chopin's best cantilena melodies, which is saying a lot. Like other people above, I never understood what the point of the 4th movement of the 2nd was, whereas the finale of no. 3 has more teeth and beauty to it.
The 1st doesn't do it for me, though I don't know if it sux as much as most people (including Chopin) say.

[etudes]

1st movement i prefer 2nd sonata
2nd movement i like both
3rd movement i like both
4th movement i prefer 3rd sonata
so quite equal but i voted for 2nd sonata

[jehangircama]

new choice:mvt 1 of no.2 and the finale of no.3 are amongst the greatest pieces ever written for the piano

[superstition2]

The last movement of the 2nd sonata is brilliant. Listen to Rachmaninov's performance.