The one unsung piano sonata everyone should hear!

[eschiss1]

I'm hoping you've at least heard it, then... why do you think it should be on our must-hear list, what qualities does it have? Convince us

[LateRomantic75]

A great discovery of late for me that would fit this thread is Heino Eller's Piano Sonata no. 1, which has been recorded by Antes and recently by Toccata in their series. It's a huge, highly virtuosic late-romantic work which, unsurprisingly, reflects the influence of Rachmaninov but has a certain polyphonic density to it that is absent from the Russian's music. Besides Rach, I was occasionally reminded of Dukas' behemoth work in the genre as well as Reger (in the more contrapuntal sections). Great stuff!

[chill319]

Re Berger:

Have you actually heard it or did you read the score?

A friend played it several times and I had a chance to hear it.

I hope to upload a recording some day, when life simmers down. (One thing about computer programming: the older you get, the faster things change and the longer hours you work.)

[Alan Howe]

Melartin's Piano Sonata Op.111 (Fantasia apocaliptica). Dating from 1920, this is right on the edge of our remit in its wildness, but its 16 minutes are over in a flash, such is the way it sweeps all before it. Absolutely stunning.

[4candles]

Many great sonatas have already been mentioned, including one of my all-time favourites: that unique beast by Alkan, the Grande Sonate, Op.33.

But I'd like to point members to the gorgeous, mid-Romantic-era Sonata in F minor by Julius Schulhoff (1825-1898), which has mightily impressed me since I first heard it. Helped, indeed, by a gripping recorded interpretation by pianist Adrian Ruiz, this sonata has all I look for in Romantic piano music: drama, virtuosity, great melodic and harmonic facility and a sense of compositional economy in the writing, which makes a refreshing palate cleanser compared to some later sonata examples.

It's not what many others might call a masterpiece, but it is very deserving of more recordings and performances.

Here is a score-and-audio upload to YouTube of Adrian Ruiz's recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvomvWlgZpo

4c

[4candles]

I would also like to add the stirring Piano Sonata, Op.22, by Josef Wieniawski, for mostly the same reasons as given above, although I find this composer's example to be more fulsome of piano sound. I hear the clear influence of Beethoven in the first movement - perhaps his 3rd piano concerto.

Interestingly this Sonata was published in two versions, the first with four movements, the second and revised edition with just three.

Here is a YouTube link.

[eschiss1]

the 2nd definition of fulsome, I assume.

[4candles]

Indeed!