Suggest a Classical Sonata?

[lhb_]

Looking for an easy first classical sonata to play. I was thinking along the lines of an early Mozart or Haydn sonata, but I'm open to others I'm less familiar with like Clementi, Dussek or Cramer.

For context, the pieces I'm learning right now/have been learning are Bach Prelude & Fugue in D minor BWV 851, Chopin Mazurkas Op. 59, Debussy Arabesque No. 1 and Gershwin Three Preludes.

[visitor]

Pleyel in G @12:30

Sonata in G major, Ben 572
I. Allegro assai - [12:30]
II. Rondo - [18:36]

 

[zxiao9]

How about first movement of K332? Its beautiful and it covers a lot of different techniques.

[chopinawesome]

Just random suggestions:
 Haydn Sonata Hob.XVI 52(There are a lot more sublime ones though)

 Mozart sonata k.284,333,332,576
 Clementi Sonata in b minor op.40 no.2
 Beethoven Sonata op.2 no.3, 10 no.3, 2 no.2, op.7, op.28, op.31(all of them), 53, 81a, 101,106,109,110
Oh yeah and Schubert
The a flat major and e minor are great first schubert sonatas. Though D.894,959,958,960 are the best of the best( and probably the D Major one op.53)
And the wanderer fantasy is really interesting(though not a sonata)
My favorite classical sonata is probably sonatas are Haydn's hob.xvi 52, Beethoven op.53, Mozart K.576 and probably schubert d.894

 

[visitor]

Carlos wrote an estimated 700 or so about approx
 100 of which survive. He is transitional so he bridges era traditipns much like Hummel and middle Beethoven would later on
Lots of accessible works full of charm, for more clasically i would lean towards the final 40 or so....
No 77 in b flat major is really pretty

[afarmboysforte]

You know, there are so many classical sonatas out there, that it would be really hard for any of us to pick just one. I prefer Papa Haydn and Wolfi to Clementi, Dussek, and Pleyel, but it's just a personal choice. I would stay away from the Schubert Sonatas, Haydn's Hob 52, Mozart's D major or a minor, and the like, because these are really mature and difficult works (musically and technically). The way I would pick a sonata out is to go on Henle's website, and sort out the difficulty ratings you are wanting to take on. Henle's difficulty levels aren't perfect, but they are a great resource to consider. Just google something like, "Henle Mozart Sonatas" and you should be able to find it. I would suggest sonatas with difficulties ranging from 4 - 6 on their 1-9 scale, but check it out and see what you like.

[chopinlover01]

Try some early Beethoven, or perhaps the Op. 31/3?

[chopinawesome]

Oops I forgot to read the 1st post. Well at your level, I recommend Beethoven's 9th or 10th sonatas. Both of these are very beautiful works. Also, I think Mozart's Sonata K.332 is a great choice. For Haydn, play the Hob.XVI 36 in c sharp minor, which is a very pretty work.

Oh and afarmboysforte, how would you compare Haydn's Sonata Hob.XVI 52 to Beethoven's Sonata Op.2 no.3?

[mikebat321]

I recommend mine! Head over to https://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Bates,_Michael and look up Piano Sonata in Bb for the sheet music. You can click on the mp3s to hear it too..
Its kind of Mendelssohny/Beethoveny

Hope you enjoy

Mike

[afarmboysforte]

Oops I forgot to read the 1st post. Well at your level, I recommend Beethoven's 9th or 10th sonatas. Both of these are very beautiful works. Also, I think Mozart's Sonata K.332 is a great choice. For Haydn, play the Hob.XVI 36 in c sharp minor, which is a very pretty work.

Oh and afarmboysforte, how would you compare Haydn's Sonata Hob.XVI 52 to Beethoven's Sonata Op.2 no.3?

What do you mean by compare? It's really hard for me to put these sonatas against each other. To me, they are a really, really great example of the contrast between Papa Haydn and his student of sorts, Ludwig. These two sonatas were written within two years of each other. To my ears, they are two different works, one written by a well-respected, older, prominent composer, and the other by a youthful spirit who is bursting into his own style, but still trying to abide by some of the rules.

Haydn was, I believe, at the height of his career at the time of this sonata's creation. At least, he was a successful celebrity at this time. I can hear that in this sonata's writing. The sonata sounds like someone who is very experienced and knowledgeable in how he wishes to compose. It is very regal, noble, and not at all frivolous, but still maintaining that characteristic brand of Haydn's lightness and humor that we all love so much. It is a very mature, lovely sonata. I have to confess that this is my favorite classical-era sonata, and I would've played it if I had not chosen Mozart's a minor for length issues.

As for the Beethoven, I immediately hear the youthful, new spirit of a rising composer. The opus 2, as all of us know, were his first sonatas that he had published. Very similar to the Op. 1 works. It is a sonata of youthful excesses, extremely virtuosic and showy with many "fireworks." This sonata sort of breaks free from the sonata styles of Haydn and Mozart, with its four movements, and is full of such exuberance and quasi vulgar humor. It's very scherzo like, full of wit and light humor.

I have to confess, I'm not as immersed in the Op 2 as I am with the Haydn, and the classical period is not my area of expertise (No one my age really has an expertise ). However, both of these pieces are masterpieces; they are just from two different composers in two different stages of life (although, in a strange way, the haydn sounds vaguely similar to the beethoven to come, esp. when I think of Ludwig's orchestrated works and the Haydn 1st Mov... I don't know, maybe it's just me...)

Of course, this was just my $0.02, and I don't know if others would agree. Let me know what you think.

~The Farmboy