Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor,Op. 13,commonly known as Sonata Pathétique,was written in 1798 when the composer was 27 years old,and was published in 1799. It has remained one of his most celebrated compositions. Beethoven dedicated the work to his friend Prince Karl von Lichnowsky. Although commonly thought to be one of the few works to be named by the composer himself,it was actually named Grande sonate pathétique by the publisher,who was impressed by the sonata's tragic sonorities.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 29 in B♭ major,Op. 106 is a piano sonata that is widely viewed as one of the most important works of the composer's third period and among the greatest piano sonatas of all time. Completed in 1818,it is often considered to be Beethoven's most technically challenging piano composition and one of the most demanding solo works in the classical piano repertoire. The first documented public performance was in 1836 by Franz Liszt in the Salle Erard in Paris to an enthusiastic review by Hector Berlioz.
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor,Op. 37 is generally thought to have been composed in 1800,although the year of its composition has been questioned by some contemporary musicologists. It was first performed on 5 April 1803,with the composer as soloist. During that same performance,the Second Symphony and the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives were also premiered. The composition was published in 1804,and was dedicated to Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia. The first primary theme is reminiscent of that of Mozart's 24th Piano Concerto,also in C minor.
Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major,Op. 53,known as the Waldstein,is one of the three most notable sonatas of his middle period. Completed in summer 1804 and surpassing Beethoven's previous piano sonatas in its scope,the Waldstein is a key early work of Beethoven's "Heroic" decade (1803–1812) and set a standard for piano composition in the grand manner.
Ludwig van Beethoven composed his Piano Sonata No. 12 in A♭ major,Op. 26,in 1800–1801,around the same time as he completed his First Symphony. He dedicated the sonata to Prince Karl von Lichnowsky,who had been his patron since 1792.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major,Op. 31,No. 1,was composed between 1801 and 1802. Although it was numbered as the first piece in the trio of piano sonatas which were published as Opus 31 in 1803,Beethoven actually finished it after the Op. 31 No. 2,the Tempest Sonata.
The Piano Sonata No. 18 in E♭ major,Op. 31,No. 3,is an 1802 sonata for solo piano by Ludwig van Beethoven. A third party gave the piece the nickname "The Hunt" due to one of its themes' resemblance to a horn call. Beethoven maintains a playful jocularity throughout much of the piece,but as in many of his early works,the jocular style can be heard as a facade,concealing profound ideas and depths of emotion.
Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major,Op. 28,is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven. The name Pastoral or Pastorale became known through A. Cranz publishing of Beethoven's work,but was first coined by a London publisher,Broderip &Wilkinson. While not as famous as its immediate predecessor,Piano Sonata No. 14,it is generally admired for its intricate technicality as well as for its beauty. The sonata takes roughly twenty-five minutes to play with its intended repeats.
The Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major,Op. 79,was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1809. It is alternatively titled "Cuckoo" or "Sonatina," and it is notable for its shortness. A typical performance lasts only about nine minutes. The work is in three movements:a fast-paced Presto alla tedesca,a slower Andante,and a lively Vivace.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor,Op. 2 No. 1,was written in 1795 and dedicated to Joseph Haydn. It was published simultaneously with his second and third piano sonatas in 1796.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major,Op. 2,No. 2,was written in 1795 and dedicated to Joseph Haydn. It was published simultaneously with his first and third sonatas in 1796.
The Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major,Op. 14,No. 2,composed in 1798–1799,is an early-period work by Ludwig van Beethoven,dedicated to Baroness Josefa von Braun. A typical performance lasts 15 minutes. While it is not as well known as some of the more original sonatas of Beethoven's youth,such as the Pathétique or Moonlight sonatas,Donald Francis Tovey described it as an 'exquisite little work.'
Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 11 in B♭ major,Op. 22,was composed in 1800,and published two years later. Beethoven regarded it as the best of his early sonatas,though some of its companions in the cycle have been at least as popular with the public.
Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major,Op. 27 No. 1,"Quasi una fantasia",is a sonata composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1800–1801.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major,Op. 54,was written in 1804. It is contemporary to the first sketches of the Symphony No. 5 in C Minor. It is one of Beethoven's lesser known sonatas,overshadowed by its widely known neighbours,the Waldstein and the Appassionata.
Cello Sonatas No. 1 and No. 2,Op. 5,are two sonatas for cello and piano written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1796,while he was in Berlin. While there,Beethoven met the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm II,an ardent music-lover and keen cellist. Although the sonatas are dedicated to Friedrich Wilhelm II,Ferdinand Ries tells us that Beethoven "played several times at the court,where he also played the two cello sonatas,opus 5,composed for Duport and himself". Although Jean-Pierre Duport was one of the King's teachers,it is now thought to have been his brother Jean-Louis Duport who had the honor of premiering these sonatas.
The Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor,Op. 5 of Johannes Brahms was written in 1853 and published the following year. The sonata is unusually large,consisting of five movements,as opposed to the traditional three or four. When he wrote this piano sonata,the genre was seen by many to be past its heyday. Brahms,enamored of Beethoven and the classical style,composed Piano Sonata No. 3 with a masterful combination of free Romantic spirit and strict classical architecture. As a further testament to Brahms' affinity for Beethoven,the Piano Sonata is infused with the instantly recognizable motive from Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 during the first,third,and fourth movements. Composed in Düsseldorf,it marks the end of his cycle of three sonatas,and was presented to Robert Schumann in November of that year;it was the last work that Brahms submitted to Schumann for commentary. Brahms was barely 20 years old at its composition. The piece is dedicated to Countess Ida von Hohenthal of Leipzig.
Franz Schubert's last three piano sonatas,D 958,959 and 960,are his last major compositions for solo piano. They were written during the last months of his life,between the spring and autumn of 1828,but were not published until about ten years after his death,in 1838–39. Like the rest of Schubert's piano sonatas,they were mostly neglected in the 19th century. By the late 20th century,however,public and critical opinion had changed,and these sonatas are now considered among the most important of the composer's mature masterpieces. They are part of the core piano repertoire,appearing regularly on concert programs and recordings.
The Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor,Op. 60,completed by Johannes Brahms in 1875,is scored for piano,violin,viola and cello. It is sometimes called the Werther Quartet after Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther. The premiere took place in Vienna on November 18,1875,to an anxious public. Richard Wagner and his wife Cosima were in attendance.
The Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor,Op. 25,was composed by Johannes Brahms between 1856 and 1861. It was premiered in 1861 in Hamburg,with Clara Schumann at the piano. It was also played in Vienna on 16 November 1862,with Brahms himself at the piano supported by members of the Hellmesberger Quartet. Like most piano quartets,it is scored for piano,violin,viola,and cello.
