Grand Sonata and Piano Sonata?

[musefanemail]

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?

[faulty_damper]

It's a marketing thing.

[49410enrique]

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

[musefanemail]

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. 

[faulty_damper]

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.

[j_menz]

"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. 

[musefanemail]

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.