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Topic: Schubert Sonatas Where to begin? (Read 4562 times)

freddychopin

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Schubert Sonatas Where to begin?

on: January 07, 2006, 03:53:35 PM

Since I heard the quatre mains D 940 played by Maria João Pires & Ricardo Castro in Amsterdam I fell in love with Schubert music. I've played all the impromptus of op. 90 & op. 142 by now and I want to start with a sonata of him. I can also play the Patheque of Beethoven and his other easy sonatas. I would still love to play the Appasionata

Could someone point me out where to begin with the Schubert sonatas? I've searched the forum, but I saw only grades of the Beethoven & Mozart sonatas.

tia!

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pianistimo

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Re: Schubert Sonatas Where to begin?

Reply #1 on: January 07, 2006, 05:11:11 PM

most of the early schubert sonatas are kinda messy in terms of actual form. even schubert himself said that his 'first sonata' started with D 845 (and he had already written 20 out of 23). the scherzo and rondo are challenging. so the last three sonatas must be his best for virtuoso piano. the others are good sightreading material (this may sound a sacrelidge).

also, Godowsky Collection Vol. 2 has 12 of the best loved schubert songs transcribed for piano as well as two others mentioned here i think:

www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2493/is_5_51/ai_85061053

here's a forum where someone discusses grade 6:
https://forums.abrsm.org/lofiversion/index.php/t9250.html

and another site:
www.carolinaclassical.com/articles/schubert.html

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mostlyclassical

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Re: Schubert Sonatas Where to begin?

Reply #2 on: January 09, 2006, 10:31:25 AM

Quote from: freddychopin on January 07, 2006, 03:53:35 PM

Since I heard the quatre mains D 940 played by Maria João Pires & Ricardo Castro in Amsterdam I fell in love with Schubert music...

I'll then heartily suggest you get hold of this one: https://www.tal-groethuysen.de/schubcds.htm I'd be very hard pressed to find more beautiful piano music than this... just unforgettable. From the earlier Schubert piano solo sonatas the B major D575 (Andras Schiff version=great) is relatively unknown and most beautiful but I wouldn't know grade-wise, it must be quite demanding.

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maxy

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Re: Schubert Sonatas Where to begin?

Reply #3 on: January 12, 2006, 01:51:53 AM

If you can play all the impromptus, pick any sonata you like.

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freddychopin

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Re: Schubert Sonatas Where to begin?

Reply #4 on: January 15, 2006, 10:00:27 PM

thx for the replies. I bought Schubert's Klaviersonaten Band I (Henle-Verlag) yesterday and played some stuff today. It's most entertaining stuff.

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steinman

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Re: Schubert Sonatas Where to begin?

Reply #5 on: January 21, 2006, 12:02:03 AM

I have been learning D537 (A minor) I would say that this piece is around Grade 8 standard. But - I have to say I prefer the late piano sonatas (to hear as I haven't
tried to learn them.)

What I like so much about Schubert is the peace and melodic nature of his piano music.

I'm learning Beethoven's Op90 piano sonata at the moment - I think its second movement is very Schubert like - that's worth taking a look at.

I was given the following list by a Schubert expert (a concert pianist) - as places to start :-

D664 (slightly harder than D537)
D157,D557,D459 - (early and incomplete sonatas)

Best of luck

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turner

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Re: Schubert Sonatas Where to begin?

Reply #6 on: February 07, 2006, 04:44:34 AM

Having played all Schubert Impromptus is no small achievements. If you truly have mastered all of the Impromptus--congratulations and choose just about any Sonata you want.

That said, the A-Major Op. 120 Sonata is generally where many people begin--myself included. But this doesn't mean that it's easy. On the contrary, it has a number of trouble-spots.

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