First time Schubert sonata?

[cjuuuuu]

I would really like to play one of Schubert's sonatas the following academic year (4th year undergrad) but I never played Schubert and never actually listened to much of his music apart from music history and aesthetics classes lol
If it helps, Beethoven's style of classic sonatas is the one that is the closest to me
Ill be extremely grateful for any tips 

[marijn210999]

His 6th sonata, D 557 is nice, though somewhat dull at moments.

[mjames]

Thankfully none of the Schubert sonatas (well in my opinion) are really challenging, just *** time consuming and therefor annoying to prepare for a concert; so you can pretty much go for anything you want.

I started with no. 18 in g major because it's really reaaally pretty and it isn't technically difficult (no Scriabin leaps and sh*t), but getting the touch and phrasing bearable to listen to let alone right was a huge pain in the ass. If you play all repeats and movements it's about 45-60mins, so like I said before it's a huuuuge pain to prepare if this is your first "big piece." The musical rewards are worth it tho.

No. 19 in c minor is just pure fun and joy.

[tnan123]

Have you considered his other piano works. His moment musical and impromptus are also wonderful pieces. As for Schubert sonatas its hard to go wrong with any. Many of his early sonatas are underplayed imo. I think Sonata in A major D. 664 and Sonata in A minor D. 784 are more popular ones to start with. Maybe avoid the last 3 to start, but otherwise just choose one you think you can dedicate the time towards. Good luck!

[jinfiesto]

B-flat D. 960.

All joking aside, I wouldn't play a Schubert Sonata given the choice. They're great music, but if you've not played much Schubert, the Moments Musicaux and the Impromptus are a much better jumping off point.

In general, Schubert's works aren't too technically challenging (except the Wanderer Fantasy.) The Sonatas however are quite rambling and need a good deal of penetrating thought and analysis to hold the structure together coherently and not be an awful bore.

If you must play a Sonata, D 575 is one of the shortest. Schumann (not a typo) regarded the G major D. 984 as a perfect sonata. It's fairly long though.

If a Sonata isn't a hard requirement, playing the entirety of Opus 90 is similar in scope and I think is more useful. You can break up the Opus and use some of them as encores or put them into future programs as pairs. You cannot do that with a Sonata (well I mean you can do whatever you want, but I think it'd be frowned upon.)