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The World of Piano Competitions – issue 2 2025

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Topic: Two Big Sonatas (Read 6371 times)

chopianist123

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Two Big Sonatas

on: April 14, 2010, 01:30:47 AM

I was wondering, in your opinions is Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata or Liszt's Sonata in B Minor more difficult to tackle technically? How about Musically?

Which of these two great sonatas do u prefer personally?

Thanks for your answers.

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liordavid

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Re: Two Big Sonatas

Reply #1 on: April 16, 2010, 01:28:21 PM

Liszt B minor sonata is harder musically. Just looking at the Hammerklavier score the majority of its technique comes is chords and fugues at fast tempi

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birba

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Re: Two Big Sonatas

Reply #2 on: April 18, 2010, 12:13:24 PM

DEFINITELY Hammerklavier. Question closed.

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m2r

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Re: Two Big Sonatas

Reply #3 on: April 18, 2010, 10:12:33 PM

No questions asked Hammerklavier.

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pianisten1989

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Re: Two Big Sonatas

Reply #4 on: April 19, 2010, 05:25:38 AM

They are so very different! I like both, but in different ways..

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prongated

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Re: Two Big Sonatas

Reply #5 on: April 19, 2010, 06:49:14 AM

It's interesting...I've only seen musicologists compare the Liszt b minor sonata to Chopin's b minor sonata and also Schubert's B-flat major sonata in debating which is the greatest 19th-century piano sonata. Doing it with the hammerklavier makes perfect sense too.

I personally prefer the Liszt, but probably simply because I don't know the hammerklavier as well as the Liszt. But even based on this limited knowledge of the Beethoven, I'd wager that is the harder one to put together musically...in general, to put together a work of such length with a great amount of material, presenting it as a whole work is always a challenge...in contrast, I've seen a musicologist "categorise" the thematic ideas in the Liszt to around 7...so yeah...

Quote from: liordavid on April 16, 2010, 01:28:21 PM

Liszt B minor sonata is harder musically.

W H A T ? ? ? ?

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simonjp90

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Re: Two Big Sonatas

Reply #6 on: April 20, 2010, 05:12:04 PM

Quote from: prongated on April 19, 2010, 06:49:14 AM

W H A T ? ? ? ?

perhaps he means that the beethoven is such good music you barely need to do anything but play it. whereas the liszt needs an extra bit of work

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New Piano Piece by Chopin Discovered – Free Piano Score

A previously unknown manuscript by Frédéric Chopin has been discovered at New York’s Morgan Library and Museum. The handwritten score is titled “Valse” and consists of 24 bars of music in the key of A minor and is considered a major discovery in the wold of classical piano music. Read more

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Piano Street Magazine:The World of Piano Competitions – issue 2 2025

Topic: Two Big Sonatas (Read 6371 times)

Piano Street Magazine:New Piano Piece by Chopin Discovered – Free Piano Score

Piano Street Magazine:
The World of Piano Competitions – issue 2 2025

Piano Street Magazine:
New Piano Piece by Chopin Discovered – Free Piano Score