What Is A Piano Sonata?

[danhuyle]

This question about piano sonatas has been getting to me for quite a while. Anyone who's learned piano through exams in any country has played a piano sonata.

Anyway, what is a piano sonata exactly? What's this thing with movements, which is basically 3 separate pieces that don't relate to each other.

[virtuoso80]

Here ya go: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonata

I'm interested to hear that you think the movements of a sonata 'don't relate to each other'. They certainly do!

Also, as Wikipedia should tell you, sonatas didn't always have separate movements.

[quantum]

While a 3 or 4 movement sonata is commonly found, a sonata is by no means limited to that amount of movements.  Neither is there a strict stipulation that a sonata must comprise of multiple movements.  

Not to confuse you, but you will also come across the term sonata form which is used to denote a particular musical structure.  Often one of the movements in a sonata will take the shape of sonata form.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonata_form

[ajspiano]

the most basic definition would be "music that is played" - as opposed to "music that is sung" (cantata) - can vs son.