Captivating Unsung Piano Sonatas

[Peter1953]

A few months ago I acquired a double disk with Czerny’s piano sonatas 5, 6, 8 and 9 played by Martin Jones on Nimbus Records. A must for anyone who likes this genre! Especially #6 is exciting (6 movements in almost 51 minutes, but not for a second boring, on the contrary). I already had 1 and 3 played by Anton Kuerti on Analekta, both gorgeous and interesting pieces.

This brings me to the question, which surprising unsung piano sonatas are your favourites?
Mine are 
1. All 4 piano sonatas by Rubinstein (Leslie Howard on Hyperion). These superb sonatas are all interesting, full of emotion and most impressive, especially 3 and 4. One of the reasons why Rubinstein is my number one unsung composer
2. Raff’s opus 14 of course, which is a masterpiece
3. Ludwig Berger’s Grande Sonate in C minor (Frederick Marvin on Genesis). A “trouvaille”!
4. Norbert Burgmüller’s sonata in F minor (Adrian Ruiz on Genesis)
5. Sigismund Thalberg’s Grande Sonate in C minor (Ian Hominick on Titanic)

None of these sonatas deserve to be background music. You have to sit down, just listen and get overwhelmed!

There is so much more in this genre, but certainly you can add interesting unsung piano sonatas which are fascinating to discover and explore.

[Alan Howe]

Mine would be the sonatas by Reubke and Draeseke: both very avant-garde for their day. Alfred Brendel apparently has a high opinion of the Draeseke sonata - a shame he never played it in public. He left that to his pupil Claudius Tanski!

[TerraEpon]

The Niels Gade Piano Sonata in e, Op. 28 is quite a lovely piece, and jazz fans may find the 2nd movement a bit uncannily familiar...

There's also Stenhammar's sonatas -- in fact I love all three BIS CDs of his piano music.

[Peter1953]

Alan, what is your opinion of the Reubke coupled with Schuncke on the Dynamic label, played by Mario Patuzzi? I don't feel much attracted to Reubke's (or any composers) organ sonata on the Tanski/Sander disk.

[Alan Howe]

I don't know that recording: I have Till Fellner on a very cheap Apex reissue (coupled with Schumann's Kreisleriana) which I recommend.

[Steven Eldredge]

I love the Dussek Sonata CDs played by Markus Becker on CPO label. Moments of astounding beauty and power. I also love the sonata that Stephen Hough plays on his album of York Bowen's music.

High on my list is the Sonatine by Alkan, especially played by Hamelin.

There was also a beautiful piano sonata by George Frederick Pinto that I used to have, but cannot seem to locate in my collection any more....

[Peter1953]

Steven, on the CD "Pinto Piano Music" played by Míceál O'Rourke (Chandos) you will find even 3 piano sonatas (in E flat minor, A major and C minor). All very pleasant to listen to. The disk is still available.

[Steven Eldredge]

Peter,

I think I had a Pinto sonata on a recording by Ian Hobson. I actually have the music to it, but it is at my brother's house, 3000 miles away!

Thanks for the mention of the Chandos disc.

[Hovite]

A few months ago I acquired a double disk with Czerny’s piano sonatas 5, 6, 8 and 9 played by Martin Jones on Nimbus Records.

I am not familiar with those works. I have a disc of Czerny’s 3 sonatas for piano 4 hands, which I find disappointingly dull, and therefore I have not been encouraged to explore him further.

This brings me to the question, which surprising unsung piano sonatas are your favourites?

It is probably unobtainable now, but Olympia issued a complete set of the published sonatas of Myaskovsky on three CDs. They consist of Sonatas Nos. 1 to 9, plus Sonatina, Prelude, Rondo-Sonata, Reminiscences, a transcription of the scherzo from his String Quartet No. 5, and Yellowed Leaves: "The Yellowed Leaves, Op. 31, were composed in 1928, but differ completely from another Op. 31 written the same year — Schoenberg's Variations for Orchestra; Myaskovsky's is far removed as one could imagine from the possessed dodecaphonic music Schoenberg wrote. We find instead a series of character pieces in the spirit of the late nineteenth century" (OCD 704 ABC).

[Peter1953]

I have just listened for the first time to both piano sonatas by Reubke and Schunke. Thanks Alan, for your recommandation of the Reubke.

My first impression is that the Sonata in B flat minor (1857) by Julius Reubke (1834-58) sounds rather complex, with an almost scientific building and development of the 3 movements. How about the first movement: Allegro maestoso – Sostenuto – Quasi recitativo – Dolce e con espressione – Animato – Allegro appassionato – Sostenuto – Quasi recitativo – Dolcissimo con espressione – Animato – Allegro con fuoco – Maestoso. If I didn’t knew the composer, I should think that it could be an unknown sonata by Liszt. The same virtuosic writing, full of surprising twists. An exciting piece of music to listen to, that’s for sure.

The Grande Sonata in G minor, op. 3 (1832) by Christian Ludwig Schunke (1810-34, in French: Schuncke, according to Wikipedia) is much more accessible, and sounds influenced by Schumann and Mendelssohn. It features a sparkling scherzo and finale.

What a pity both composers suffered an untimely death at the age of 24.
Well, if you like unsung piano sonatas I can heartily recommend this CD on the Dynamic label, played by the Italian pianist Marco Patuzzi.

[Alan Howe]

Peter: do get hold of the Draeseke Piano Sonata - a magnificent piece written, no doubt, under the influence of Liszt, but with a heroic and poetic quality all its own.

[FBerwald]

Has anyone ever heard the Ketelby Piano sonata.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I didn't know Ketelbey had written one. Does the music still exist?

[FBerwald]

Well Groove's mentions it.

[JimL]

Has anyone attempted to tackle the sole surviving Dreyschock Sonata (Op. 30)?  I understand it is phenomenally difficult, but supposedly musically worthwhile.