The Pianoforte Sonata: Its Origin and DevelopmentShedlock, J. S. (John South)
History
The Pianoforte Sonata: Its Origin and Development
Shedlock, J. S. (John South)
Sonatas (Piano) -- History and criticism
In the early part of the nineteenth century, John Field, whose
nocturnes are still played and admired, wrote three sonatas (Op. 1),
and dedicated them to Muzio Clementi, his teacher. No. 1 is in E flat;
No. 2, in A; and No. 3, in C minor. They all consist of only two
movements (No. 1, Allegro and Rondo; No. 2, Allegro and Allegro
Vivace; No. 3, Allegro and Allegretto). In the first two sonatas the
two movements are in the same key; in the last, the first movement is
in C minor, the second, in C major. The Rondo of No. 1 contains
foreshadowings of Chopin. Field's music, generally, is old-fashioned,
and not worth revival; none, indeed, of his sonatas have ever been
played at the Monday Popular Concerts.
Samuel Wesley[112] wrote three sonatas (Op. 3), likewise eight,
dedicated to the Hon. Daynes Barrington, yet we fear that not one of
them would prove acceptable at the present day. One looks in vain for
the name of Wesley in the Popular Concert Catalogue. Cipriani Potter
(1792-1871) deserves a word of mention. Beethoven, writing to Ries, in
London, in 1818, says: "Potter has visited me several times; he seems
to be a good man, and has talent for composition." His Sonata in C
(Op. 1, dedicated to Mrs. Brymer Belcher) consists of three movements:
an Allegro non troppo with a Haydnish theme--
[Music illustration]
an attractive Adagio, and a dainty and pleasing Rondo pastorale. The
influence of Beethoven and Clementi is great; the individuality of
Potter, small. But the sonata is thoroughly well written, and--at any
rate as an educational piece--the Rondo deserves reprinting.
Sir G.A. Macfarren composed three sonatas for the pianoforte. No. 3,
in G minor, dedicated to Miss Agnes Zimmermann, is a work which
presents several features of interest. In the first long movement (an
Allegro moderato) there is no repeat. The exposition section really
contains three subjects: an opening one in the principal key, a second
in D flat, and a third in the orthodox key of the relative major. The
development section, in which there is some solid counterpoint, is
decidedly clever; much use is made in it of the second subject
mentioned above. The Andante is a movement of simple structure. A
brisk Scherzo, in the making of which Weber and Schumann seem to have
lent a helping hand, leads to a long Finale,--the last, but by no
means the most successful of the four movements. We have just spoken
of influences; Weber may be said to have presided at the birth of the
opening Allegro, and Mendelssohn at that of the Finale. The appearance
in the Finale of the D flat theme from the Allegro deserves note. This
sonata may not be an inspired work, yet it has many excellent
qualities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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