The Pianoforte Sonata: Its Origin and Development — John Shaqi
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
etc., but death, which frequently prevents the best intentioned plans,
intervened.
The "Sonata Erotica" is noticeable, generally, for its charm, poetry,
and spontaneity. The first movement, an Allegro moderato, is in
sonata-form. The second, in the key of the relative minor, entitled
Fantasie, has in it more of the spirit of Beethoven than of Emanuel
Bach. The Finale is in rondo form; the middle section consists of a
playful Duettino, containing free imitations.
The next sonata (1777), in D flat, opens with a graceful Allegretto,
and closes with a Tempo di Minuetto, which, for the most part, points
backward rather than forward. The slow movement, Adagio sostenuto, is,
however, of a higher order than either of these. It has Beethovenish
breadth and dignity, yet lacks the power of the Bonn master: those
magic touches by which the latter makes us feel his genius, and
secures gradation of interest up to the very close of a movement. This
Adagio, however, were the date of its composition unknown, might pass
for a very clever imitation of Beethoven's style.
In 1784, Rust wrote two sonatas, one in F sharp minor, the other in B
flat minor. The latter consists of three movements, and the music,
especially in the Adagio in E flat minor, bears traces of the great
Bach; still there are passages which sound more modern even in this
very Adagio, which points so clearly to him as the source of
inspiration. The modern element, however, admits of explanation, for
Haydn and Mozart, at the time in which the sonata was written, had
appeared in the musical firmament. But in the works we are about to
mention, the composer suggests Beethoven, Weber, and even Schumann. In
writing about Clementi, we were compelled frequently, and at the risk
of wearying our readers, to call attention to foreshadowings of both
the letter and spirit of Beethoven. The cases of Clementi and Rust,
however, are not quite parallel. With the former it was mere
foreshadowing; with exception of a few passages in which there was
note resemblance between the two composers, the music still bore
traces of Clementi's mode of thought and style of writing. But with
Rust, there are moments in which it is really difficult to believe
that the music belongs to a pre-Beethoven period.
The sonata[92] in D minor (1788) opens with a vigorous yet dignified
Allegro; the graceful Adagio is of eighteenth century type; it is in
the key of the relative major, but closes on the dominant chord of D
minor, leading without break to a final Allegro, full of interesting
details. The movement concludes with an impressive _poco adagio_ coda,
in which Rust makes use of the principal theme of the opening
movement. We will venture on one quotation, although a few bars,
separated from the context, may convey only a feeble impression--
[Music illustration]
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