Piano Sonatas
Mozart, Brahms, Ravel, Prokofieff
JDT 3225

The Sonata Form has fascinated - and challenged - all composers since 1750. What makes the multi-movement layout of a Sonata so compelling is the array of required musical contrasts and the possibility for the composer to tell a complete story. No other musical form features as many juxtapositions of tempo, rhythms, tonality and thematic materials: none of the dance forms, nor Suites, nor Rondos, nor Fugues, nor Fantasy, nor Prelude, Etudes, Impromptus can draw the listener into the world of musical dialogue, thesis and antithesis, stress and relieve, climax and resolve like the Sonata. As the outer form mutated from the loose series of dance movements into the typical three or four movement architecture, the "Sonata Allegro Form" emerged as the essential component of any work titled Sonata. It is this movement and its content of contrasting themes which engages the composers into presenting ever new structures using the balanced three part division: "Exposition", "Development Section", and "Recapitulation". At first, dissimilar themes are presented and later "developed" in the middle section: composers show variants of their rhythmical and melodic elements, perhaps combine themes, dissect, embellish, transpose them into different keys, rhythmically lengthen or compress them and transform their elements in order to carry on the musical drama. After this playful, emotional, or intellectual excursion - depending on the composer's style - the thematic material is "recapitulated" for reinforcement of the original tonality and as a temporary resolve to the different themes. Temporary only, as the following movements will showcase new material, but continue the musical plot, which typically ends with an energetic, brilliant finale.

The Repertoire on this CD features contrasting Sonatas by composers of 4 style periods. In addition to the stylistic differences in texture and sound, it is interesting to observe how the outer form changes: from the typical Mozartean 3 movements to the miniaturized Ravel Sonatina, with further compression to just one movement in Prokofiev (who still features elements of 4 movements). yet Brahms, one of the great Romanic composers, expands his Sonata to even 5 movements, I have performed these four Sonatas in many recital programs, and for reasons of an overall balance when listening to these works, the chronological order was discarded.

Andreas Klein

 Piano Sonatas   $17.95

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