Sonata (Italian sonata, from sonare - to sound)
one of the main genres of chamber instrumental music. In its classically completed form, a symphony, as a rule, is a 3-part cyclic work with fast extreme parts (the first part is in the so-called sonata form (See Sonata Form)) and a slow middle part. Sometimes the cycle also includes a minuet or a scherzo. The term "S." known since the 16th century; S. originally called any instrumental piece, in contrast to the cantata as a vocal piece. By the beginning of the 17th century. 2 types of S. were formed: church S. (sonata da chiesa) and chamber S. (sonata da camera). Church musicals are characterized by a 4-part cycle with a definite sequence of tempos (slow-fast-slow-fast; or fast-slow-fast-fast) and the seriousness of the music. Chamber S. - free sequence of dance numbers. The line between these types of S. is quickly erased. In the 17th century the so-called. trio sonatas for 2 or 3 performers accompanied by General bass a. S. for one violin and general basso also occupied the most important position, primarily among the composers of the so-called. Italian violin school - A. Vivaldi, A. Corelli and others. S. for violin with a fully written and richly developed clavier part appeared at J. S. Bach. In the early classical period (the middle of the 18th century), the type of classical pianoforte was intensively developed (especially in pianoforte piano by C. F. E. Bach and D. Scarlatti). It finally took shape during the period of Viennese classicism (the end of the 18th century) in the works of J. Haydn, W. A. Mozart, and others. for cello and piano). They are distinguished by the depth of content, the breadth of the range of images, bright conflict, sometimes almost symphonic scale. A series of Beethoven's sonatas is a 4-movement cycle, reproducing the sequence of parts of a symphony and a quartet. The work of romantic composers saw an enrichment and rethinking of the genre of classical S. (mainly of the Beethoven type). F. Chopin, R. Schumann, F. Liszt, J. Brahms, E. Grieg, and others made a great contribution to the development of symphony. In their symphony, the tendency toward a broad symphonic interpretation of the genre intensified, and the contrast of images deepened. The striving for the unity of the cycle leads to the creation of one-part musical scores (for the first time - in 2 scores for pianoforte by F. Liszt). At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. bright renewing tendencies appear in the compositions of the French composers G. Fauré, P. Duke, M. Ravel, C. Debussy, and the Russian composers A. N. Scriabin, and N. K. Medtner. In the 20th century S. remains one of the leading musical genres. New images and means of expression significantly change its appearance. Sonatas by S. S. Prokofiev (10 for pianoforte, 2 for violin), D. D. Shostakovich (2 for piano, 2 for violin, cello), P. Hindemith (about 30 for almost all instruments) belong to the outstanding examples of modern music. , B. Bartok (6 S. for various compositions). In the 50-70s. the term "S.", as in the distant past, is sometimes understood only as the designation of an instrumental piece (S. for cello and orchestra by K. Penderecki). Lit.: Popova T., Sonata, M., 1962; Bagge S., Die geschichtliche Entwicklung der Sonate, Lpz., 1880; Klauwell O., Geschichte der Sonate von ihren Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart, Köln-Lpz., 1899; Brandt, E., Suite, Sonate and Symphony, Braunschweig, 1923; Borrel E., La sonate. P., 1951. V. B. Valkova.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .
Synonyms:See what "Sonata" is in other dictionaries:
- (it. sonata, from lat. sonare to sound). Formerly, a piece intended to be performed on some kind of instrument was called, in contrast to the cantata of a piece for singing. Today is a collection of music. pieces and combining them into one whole. Dictionary of foreign words, ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Sonata F A E is a sonata for violin and piano written on the initiative of Robert Schumann by himself and his two younger colleagues, Johannes Brahms and Albert Dietrich. Created in October 1853 in Düsseldorf (in Schumann's diary ... ... Wikipedia
sonata- uh. sonate f., it. sonata. An instrumental piece of music, usually consisting of four or three parts, different in character and tempo, of which one is in the form of a sonata allegro. BASS 1. Sonates. Sonatas. There are countless… Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language
- (Italian sonata, from sonare to sound), chamber instrumental work; one of the main genres of instrumental music. Classical sonata for one or two instruments (piano; violins and pianoforte; etc.), which is ... ... Modern Encyclopedia
Sonata- (St. Petersburg, Russia) Hotel category: 2 star hotel Address: Opochinina Street 9, Vasile … Hotel catalog
Sonata- (Italian sonata, from sonare to sound), chamber-instrumental work; one of the main genres of instrumental music. Classical sonata for one or two instruments (piano; violins and pianoforte; etc.), which is ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
SONATA, sonatas, for women. (Italian sonata) (music). An instrumental musical work of three or four parts differing in their content, of which one or two are written in the form of a sonata allegro (see sonata). Kreutzer Sonata. ... ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
SONATA, s, female. A piece of music for one or more instruments, consisting of several contrasting parts, united by a common concept. Sonatas by Scriabin. | adj. sonata, oh, oh. sonata form. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov
Female musical, piano composition of a kind. Sonnet husband. a poem of two four lines, and two three lines. Sonnetka wives. bell, bell, vertebra, with a wire where, to call for servants. Sonometer male, lat. sound meter, projectile for ... ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary
Exist., number of synonyms: 3 genre (41) sonata (1) sonata (1) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N ... Synonym dictionary
- (should not be confused with sonata form). Until the end of the 17th century, a collection of instrumental pieces was called, as well as a vocal motet, arranged for instruments. S. were divided into two types: chamber S. (sonata da camera), which consisted of preludes, arioso, ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
The word sonata comes from the Italian "sonata" (sonata) or the Latin "sonare", which translates as "sounds". If we talk about the definition of a sonata, then at different times this word had different meanings.
Let's talk about them in more detail.
What is a sonata: definition
Currently, a sonata is a musical genre in which a work is written to be played on one or two musical instruments. A piece of music is characterized by one artistic idea, but consists of several contrasting parts.
For the first time, Spanish composers began to call their works sonatas in the 16th century. Until the 17th century, sonatas were called instrumental works, and vocal ones were called "cantata"; at that time sonatas were polyphonic (for several instruments).
Sonatas have been written and written for various instruments: for example, there are solo piano sonatas or sonatas for violin / cello and piano. The sonatas of Beethoven (for example, "Moonlight Sonata"), Schubert, Chopin, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and other composers are very famous.
Sonata Composition
Most sonatas are in three movements:
- The first movement is the hallmark of the sonata and is characterized by the greatest tension, tempo and poignancy. This part of the sonata is written in a special musical form - the sonata. It, in turn, consists of a plot (exposition), development (development), result (reprise).
- The second part is usually slow. It calmly and evenly develops the thought and feelings of the first movement.
- The finale, the third movement of the sonata, sums up the results. Usually sustained in rapid motion and necessarily contains a conclusion, the logical conclusion of the work.
In addition to sonatas consisting of three parts, there are one-part sonatas (for example, Franz Liszt's sonata "After reading Dante"), two- and four-part sonatas.
If we compare a sonata with a literary genre, then the comparison with a novel or short story is most suitable. Like them, the sonata is divided into several "chapters" - parts. Usually there are three or four. Like a novel or short story, the sonata is populated by various "heroes": musical themes. These topics do not just follow one after another, but interact, influence each other, and sometimes come into conflict.
The first part of the sonata is distinguished by the greatest tension and sharpness. Therefore, it has developed its own, special form, which is called the sonata.
The development of music built in sonata form can be compared to the action in a dramatic play. First, the composer introduces us to the main characters - musical themes. It's like the beginning of a drama. Then the action develops, escalates, reaches the top, after which the denouement comes. Thus, the sonata form consists of three sections - the beginning or exposition, in which the main themes appear (exhibited) in different keys, the actual action - the development - and the result - the reprise.
Development - the middle section of the sonata form - the most conflicting section, the least stable. Topics that were heard for the first time in the exposition are shown here from new, unexpected sides. They are divided into short motifs, collide, intertwine, change, fight one with the other. At the end of development, the state of instability, struggle, reaches its highest point - culmination - and requires relaxation, calming down. Reprise brings them. In the reprise, there is a repetition of what was in the exposition, but with changes caused by development events. All the musical themes of the sonata in the reprise appear in the same main key. Sometimes completes the first movement of the sonata coda. It contains excerpts from the most important themes of the movement, once again affirming the main, "winning" tonality.
The second part, unlike the first, is composed, as a rule, in slow motion. Music conveys a leisurely flow of thought, glorifies the beauty of feelings, draws a sublime landscape.
The finale of the sonata is usually sustained in fast, sometimes even impetuous movement. This is the result, the conclusions from the previous parts: it can be optimistic, life-affirming, but sometimes it can be dramatic and even tragic.
The classical sonata cycle took shape at the same time as the symphony, in the second half of the 18th century. However, the term "sonata" originated in the 16th century. It comes from the Italian word sonare - to sound. Initially, this was the name of any instrumental work, in contrast to the cantata (cantare - to sing). And only with the emergence of a new genre of instrumental music, this name began to belong only to him alone undividedly.
Sonatas were written and are being written by many composers, starting from Corelli (XVII century) to the present day. The era in instrumental creativity was made up of sonatas by D. Scarlatti, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann. Remarkable in their artistic merit are the sonatas of Russian and Soviet composers: Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Medtner, An. Alexandrov, Myaskovsky, Prokofiev.
In addition to solo piano sonatas, there are sonatas for a larger number of instruments: sonatas for violin or cello and piano, instrumental trios and quartets - they, as a rule, are also sonatas in their form. An instrumental concerto can be called a sonata for solo instrument and orchestra.
Those who begin to study music have to deal not with sonatas, but with sonatinas. Literally translated, the word "sonata" means "small sonata". It is smaller than a real sonata in size, and besides, it is much easier technically, simpler in content.
L. V. Mikheeva
In Latin, sonus means sound, sonare means to sound. In the Middle Ages, the Italian word "sonata" meant performance, playing musical instruments. Then, for several centuries, it was simply instrumental music, and by the end of the 16th century, an independent instrumental piece began to be called a sonata, in contrast to a vocal one. Such works are found in the work of the Italian composer F. Maskera. But already at the beginning of the next century, the genre of the so-called trio sonata for an ensemble of two strings and a cembalo spread. Somewhat later, its compositional features were formed. Four-part cycle with paired contrast of parts - slow, fast, slow, fast.
At the end of the 17th century, with the flourishing of violin craftsmanship, the violin sonata appeared (in the work of G. Torelli, G. Vitali, A. Corelli, A. Vivaldi, G. Tartini). And finally, at the beginning of the 18th century, with the development of clavier music, as well as musical thinking in general, the genre of the clavier sonata flourished. The clavier sonatas by D. Scarlatti, J. Kunau, sonatas of J. S. Bach - F. E. Bach, J. K. Bach and many other musicians have not lost their artistic significance to this day.
"Encompassing all characters and all expressions" was called the sonata by the German composer J. A. Schultz in 1775. Indeed, there is a whole world in it. The most diverse themes, acquiring independence, become, as it were, characters of the richest instrumental theater. Even several large movements of a sonata cycle (usually three or four) resemble several acts of a theatrical performance. Listen to the piano sonatas of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. Among them you will find dramas and pastorals, tragedies and comedies. Of course, this is conditional, the content of the sonatas is a world of purely musical images, but their richness is inexhaustible. The "plot" action of the sonata usually unfolds according to a certain, but very flexible and universal scheme, which is called the sonata form. It is based on a comparison of two contrasting themes: main and secondary. In the first section of the form, these themes are exhibited (which is why it is called an exposition); in the second, they are being developed (this is development); in the third, they are repeated in a slightly modified form: the secondary theme, as it were, obeys the main one (this is a reprise). In sonata form, the first part of the sonata is usually written (it is called the sonata allegro form), but both the slow part and the finale of the cycle can be written.
By our time, the sonata has changed, become more complicated, there are significantly fewer works in this genre. But the sonata is alive and still necessary for both composers and listeners.
M. G. Rytsareva
(fde_message_value)
| (fde_message_value) |
Sonata
Sonata, a musical composition for one or more instruments. In the classical sense, the term refers to a work for solo piano or for string or wind instrument with piano, consisting of several independent parts. The plan of a composite multi-movement sonata and the restriction in the use of the term only by solo works were formed in the second half of the 18th century.
The word "sonata" is also often used as part of the term "sonata form": in this case, it refers not to a multi-movement work, but to the formal structure of one movement of a sonata. Sonata form is also found in symphonies, concertos, trios, quartets, quintets, even overtures, etc.
Word " sonata" is derived from the Italian verb " sonar» - « sound».
For the first time, Spanish composers of the 16th century began to call their works this way. Early sonatas were polyphonic, such as trio sonatas for 3 instruments - violin (or flute), viola da gamba and harpsichord. When the polyphonic style was replaced by a homophonic one (the main voice with a bright melody began to play the leading role, and the rest acquired an accompanying, accompanying character), the sonata for a solo instrument with accompaniment, primarily for the violin, acquired paramount importance. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. violin sonatas are composed by the largest Italian composers - J. Vitali, J. Tartini, A. Corelli, A. Vivaldi. The keyboard instrument performed a purely accompanying function in them.
G. F. Handel and especially J. S. Bach are already creating sonatas for the keyboard instrument. By this time, the sonata had taken shape as a multi-part instrumental piece with a rich figurative and emotional content. The most typical was this order of parts: slow - fast - slow - fast. The first part most often had an improvisational introductory character; the third, slow, was based on the rhythms of the sarabande or siciliana - Spanish and Italian folk dances.
From the end of the XVIII century. the piano sonata comes to the fore in its significance. The pianoforte replaced the harpsichord and brought with it all the richness of the nuances of loud and soft playing; it was capable of rapid fluency and orchestral thunder. All these qualities were manifested with particular force in the piano sonatas of L. Beethoven, although his predecessors J. Haydn, W. A. Mozart, M. Clementi did a lot in this direction. Beethoven gave the sonatas a symphonic scope, scale (Aurora, Appassionata). Sonata is one of the main genres of chamber instrumental music. It exists not only as a genre, but also as a form. Sonata form is one of the most developed forms of instrumental music. It is typical for the first parts of the sonata-symphony cycle (this concept includes sonatas, symphonies, quartets and many other major works;).
Romantic composers F. Schubert, R. Schumann, F. Chopin, F. Liszt, I. Brahms in their sonatas revealed in a new way the restless, rebellious, changeable inner world of man.
Significant development in Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms received a duet sonata for a solo instrument (violin, cello, clarinet, horn) and pianoforte.
The largest number of sonatas was written in 3 parts, but there are two-part and four-part sonatas. The first part of the sonata was usually written in sonata form, but sometimes in its place you can find the form of variations (Mozart, Beethoven). The second part is slow, it was written either in sonata form, but without development, or in a complex three-part; the third (minuet, scherzo) - in a complex three-part, and a quick finale - in the form of a rondo, rondo sonata, less often - variations. In Chopin's sonatas, the slow movement and the scherzo are interchanged. Liszt creates one-part sonatas of the type of a musical poem (sonata "After reading Dante"). They are based on a very widely developed sonata form with many themes, their transformations and contrasting episodes.
In Russian music, the piano sonata reached its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (P. I. Tchaikovsky, S. V. Rachmaninov, A. N. Skryabin, N. K. Medtner). Sonatas for various instruments were created by Soviet composers S. S. Prokofiev, N. Ya. Myaskovsky, A. N. Alexandrov, D. D. Shostakovich, A. I. Khachaturian, D. B. Kabalevsky, M. S. Weinberg R. K. Shchedrin and others. The musical language, the principles of construction, and the content are becoming more and more complex and diverse in them.
Genre features of the sonata
If we compare a sonata with a literary genre, then the comparison with a novel or short story is most suitable. Like them, the sonata is divided into several "chapters" - parts. Usually there are three or four. Like a novel or short story, the sonata is populated by various "heroes": musical themes. These topics do not just follow one after another, but interact, influence each other, and sometimes come into conflict.
The first part of the sonata is distinguished by the greatest tension and sharpness. Therefore, it has developed its own, special form, which is called the sonata.
The development of music built in sonata form can be compared to the action in a dramatic play. First, the composer introduces us to the main characters - musical themes. It's like the beginning of a drama. Then the action develops, escalates, reaches the top, after which the denouement comes. Thus, the sonata form consists of three sections - the beginning or exposition, in which the main themes appear (exhibited) in different keys, the actual action - the development - and the result - the reprise.
Development - the middle section of the sonata form - the most conflicting section, the least stable. Topics that were heard for the first time in the exposition are shown here from new, unexpected sides. They are divided into short motifs, collide, intertwine, change, fight one with the other. At the end of development, the state of instability, struggle, reaches its highest point - culmination - and requires relaxation, calming down. Reprise brings them. In the reprise, there is a repetition of what was in the exposition, but with changes caused by development events. All the musical themes of the sonata in the reprise appear in the same main key. Sometimes completes the first movement of the sonata coda. It contains excerpts from the most important themes of the movement, once again affirming the main, "winning" tonality.
The second part, unlike the first, is composed, as a rule, in slow motion. Music conveys a leisurely flow of thought, glorifies the beauty of feelings, draws a sublime landscape.
The finale of the sonata is usually sustained in fast, sometimes even impetuous movement. This is the result, the conclusions from the previous parts: it can be optimistic, life-affirming, but sometimes it can be dramatic and even tragic.
The classical sonata cycle took shape at the same time as the symphony, in the second half of the 18th century. However, the term "sonata" originated in the 16th century. It comes from the Italian word sonare - to sound. Initially, this was the name of any instrumental work, in contrast to the cantata (cantare - to sing). And only with the emergence of a new genre of instrumental music, this name began to belong only to him alone undividedly.
Sonatas were written and are being written by many composers, starting from Corelli (XVII century) to the present day. The era in instrumental creativity was made up of sonatas by D. Scarlatti, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann. Remarkable in their artistic merit are the sonatas of Russian and Soviet composers: Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Medtner, An. Alexandrov, Myaskovsky, Prokofiev.
In addition to solo piano sonatas, there are sonatas for a larger number of instruments: sonatas for violin or cello and piano, instrumental trios and quartets - they, as a rule, are also sonatas in their form. Sonata for solo instrument and orchestra can be called an instrumental concerto.
Those who begin to study music have to deal not with sonatas, but with sonatinas. Literally translated, the word "sonata" means "small sonata". It is smaller than a real sonata in size, and besides, it is much easier technically, simpler in content.
Permanent address of the article: Sonata. What is a sonata
Over the three centuries of the existence of the sonata, this musical form has undergone such significant changes and now appears in such a wealth of variants that it is impossible to give its unambiguous definition. The only thing that is inherent in any sonata is that in terms of musical content it is the most complex and multi-component musical form, no matter what era this particular sonata belongs to.
And that's probably all...
Alexander Maykapar
Music Genres: Sonata
Extraordinary variety
If we, wanting to understand what a sonata is as a musical genre, turn to the Musical Encyclopedia, we will find there a large article occupying thirteen columns. (For comparison: an article about a symphony - 4 columns, about a cantata - about 3; the largest about an opera - 31 columns.) This can be explained by the fact that a musical form has crystallized within the genre of the sonata - the form of the sonata allegro,- which became the basis for a huge number of works of instrumental music; not only those whose title page says "Sonata", but also all kinds of trios, quartets, instrumental concertos, symphonies. By the way, in the essay on the symphony we have already touched on this form, but now we must delve deeper into its features.
L. Brunningen. Adagio. Fragment (1890s)
The difficulty lies in the fact that over the three centuries of the existence of the sonata, this musical form has undergone such significant changes and now appears in such a wealth of variants that it is impossible to give its unambiguous definition. The only thing that is inherent in any sonata is that in terms of musical content it is the most complex and multi-component musical form, no matter what era this particular sonata belongs to. And that's probably all. Further concretization of details is possible only in relation to samples of a particular musical style and time. So, if we say that a sonata is a work of many parts, then we will certainly be objected that Domenico Scarlatti has 555 sonatas and all of them are one-part. If we say that a sonata is a work in which the first movement is written in sonata form Allegro, which is true for a huge number of sonatas of the classical and romantic period, then we will immediately be pointed to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata or his own piano sonata No. 12 in A-flat major, Op. 26, in which the first movement is written in the form of a theme and variations.
Of course, how convenient it would be to have a clear and precise definition of what a sonata is, and at the same time indicate in brackets a few cases of deviations from a strict canon. In fact, it turns out that only a few samples can be named that completely fit into the school scheme of sonata construction, while dozens of pages would be occupied by lists of remarkable creations in this genre that deviate from a strict scheme.
It is safe to say that all 32 sonatas of Beethoven's great cycle of piano sonatas would have taken their places in this list of "exceptions to the rule". And this is a paradox! - despite the fact that Beethoven is a legislator in the field of the classical sonata. We can safely redirect to the sphere of sonata form the famous words of Beethoven, uttered by him in response to the reproach of transgressing against the laws of harmony (he used the so-called parallel fifths, forbidden by the rules): “So, I allow them!”
Obviously, due to the extraordinary variety of sonata samples, the Musical Encyclopedia gives a definition that, due to its breadth, defines little and even, one might say, is not a definition: “Sonata (ital. sonata, from sonar- sound) - one of the main genres of solo and chamber-ensemble instrumental music. A classical sonata, as a rule, is a multi-part work with fast extreme parts (the first - in the so-called sonata form) and slow average; sometimes a minuet or scherzo is also included in the cycle ... "
We have already discussed the Baroque sonata in the essay “Baroque Music” (“Art” No. 22/2005). Therefore, we will now focus on the sonata of the classical and romantic periods.
But first, let's give a short review of Bernard Shaw on one of the works written in sonata form. The value of this review, firstly, is that it briefly and very accurately formulates the main problem for the composer in using this form, and secondly, it gives a vivid idea of B. Shaw's talent as a music critic.
At one of the evenings of the series "Popular Concertos" we were presented with a piano quintet by Giovanni Sgambati, a Roman composer who is quite well known here. My criticisms of him boil down to the following: although Sgambati is a Roman, he does not act like the Romans - he writes academic music in sonata form, like the Germans or the English, who, despite my admonitions, stubbornly continue to do so. Experience shows that musicians do not see the true incredible difficulties of the sonata form because their teachers allow their attention to be absorbed by its incredible formal-technical complexities. But in the end, even a fool masters these difficulties. Anyone can turn a series of bars into sonata form, just as a set of lines can be molded into a sonnet or a five-act tragedy with unrhymed stanzas. It is not the form itself that makes Shakespeare immortal, but the absolutely amazing content for which these forms, in fact, had to be created ... First of all, you must have something to say to the interlocutor if you hope that he will allow you to twist a button and for twenty minutes to force him to listen to your sonata, or - even worse - for a whole evening - in case you intended to strangle him with tragedy.
Sgambati has enough musical material to entertain the audience for eight or nine minutes. But, trying to make a whole quintet out of this(in essence, the same sonata, only for five instruments. - A.M.),he had to dilute it incredibly, smooth everything out and obscure everything with depressing banality, which culminated in fugato - the last means of avoiding musical bankruptcy. Here all his attempts to give us pleasure failed ... The general feeling (I always speak of my own feelings as a general feeling) can be formulated as follows: “I wish this would end!”
Harsh judgment! What are these “incredible difficulties of sonata form” anyway?
Sonata Allegro: general design principles
As a rule, the first part of a classical sonata is written in the form of the so-called sonata Allegro. It has several features:
1) division of the entire part into three main sections: exposure, development And reprise;
2) building the exposition (and often other sections of the form) on a comparison or even a collision of two main images, most often energetic, courageous and lyrical, soft.
The very names of the sections clearly indicate their purpose. Except them in the sonata Allegro there may be an introduction and conclusion (coda). Probably eighty percent of the classical musical heritage - sonatas, symphonies, quartets, trios - use this musical form. And the most amazing thing is that no two are alike! From this it follows that the above characteristics indicate only the most general outline of this musical form.
Why is the sonata form Allegro how often is it used? Because it is the richest form of instrumental music in terms of its dramatic possibilities. To begin with, there must certainly be several diverse themes (musical parts). Between them there is a collision and a lot of collisions. These parts have symbols so that it is clearer what episode is being discussed. They're called main, connecting, secondary and final. Concerning binder And final, then everything is more or less clear. About the other two main And side- should be more detailed.
Usually main party represents, relatively speaking, an energetic image, and side- more lyrical. The composer opens up endless possibilities for juxtaposing diverse characters, their struggle, rapprochement, and sometimes even merging. As soon as it is permissible to compare the main and side parts with the male and female principles, then it is natural to assume the possibility of reflecting in this musical form all shades of human feelings and passions, everything that has found expression in the entire world culture and art, what is usually defined by the concept of " the basic Instinct". Moreover, this can be - and often happens, especially in Beethoven - not only in the sphere of personal feeling, but also in the universal human plane. This is the source of the wealth of classical music. And this is only the most general statement, only one - the main - idea. But how many different ways of expression are there!
exposition
Main part (GP) -> Main key (usually a period in form);
Linking part (SP) -> Transition to the key of a side part;
Side part (SB) -> Side key;
Closing Game (CB) -> The end of the exposition leads to the key in which the development begins.
Development
Exposition parties are being developed and developed (mainly GP). Various tonalities are used, more often the subdominant sphere. The main tone of the work is avoided; development in the sonatas of the Viennese classics often ends with a stop at the dominant of the main key, in which the reprise begins. If the composer in this section introduces completely new musical material that is not based on the parts of the exposition - which also happens - then this section is not called a development, but an episode.
reprise
PM -> Starts in the main key, but then modulates into a secondary key to avoid staying too long in the main key throughout the reprise;
SP -> Approval of the key of the side part;
PP -> Either all in the main key, or necessarily ends in it;
ZP -> Final statement of the main key.
World masterpieces of the sonata genre
Ludwig van Beethoven. Sonata No. 8 in C minor "Pathetic", op. 13
The "Pathetic" sonata is one of only two Beethoven piano sonatas titled by the composer himself (or at least with the composer's approval). The second - No. 26 in E-flat major, op. 81a, "Farewell". All other names - "Lunar" (No. 14, op. 27), "Pastoral" (No. 15, op. 28), "Aurora", or "Waldstein" (No. 21, op. 53), "Appassionata" (No. 23 , op. 57), Teresa's Sonata (No. 24, op. 78) - not copyrighted.
The sonata is in three movements:
1 Grave. Allegro di molto e con brio
2. Adagio cantabile
3. Rondo. (Allegro)
Here is the first printed response to the sonata: “The wonderful sonata is rightly called “Pathetique,” since it is, in fact, deeply passionate in character. Noble sadness announces itself in a spectacular, beautifully and smoothly modulating Grave in C minor, which from time to time interrupts the fiery section of the Allegro,expressing the intense excitement of a serious mind. In Adagio in A-flat major (II part. - A.M.) the mood of peace and consolation; however, the beautiful melodious melodies, modulations, and pleasing movement demand that this movement not be drawn out. With the beginning of the rondo (movement III. - A.M.), the tone of the first Allegro awakens, in a double sense of the word, so that throughout the Sonata the main feeling is preserved, giving it unity, inner life and real aesthetic value. Something like this can be said about any sonata, provided that all other requirements of musical art clearly show its beauty, just as here. The only thing a critic could say about Beethoven, who can probably be original and new (and perhaps less of a reproach than a desire for new perfection), is that the rondo theme itself has an all too familiar sound. The critic himself cannot say exactly where he has heard it before, but the subject is at least not new.
The passion of the "Pathetic" sonata is not love passion, but an expression of courage, courage, bravery. The middle part of the sonata is tender, as tenderness can be. But this tenderness is absolutely devoid of any kind of erotic connotation. Sometimes you come across the judgment that Beethoven, with all his genius, could not write a genuine melody. Those who say so should listen to this part, which begins with a magnificent melody - soothing, wide breathing.
The question of what a piece of music actually means, what its music is about, often turns out to be very difficult, but in this case it is quite obvious that the music really means something. This is not just something that sounds beautiful, here the sounds convey excitement, excitement, loss of peace of mind.
Franz Liszt. Sonata in B minor
The sonata appeared in print with a dedication to R. Schumann in response to the latter's dedication to F. Liszt of his Fantasia in C major (1836), which Liszt loved very much, often performed in concerts and made a transcription for piano and orchestra.
It is noteworthy that the first performer of the sonata was not the author, the brilliant pianist himself, but his son-in-law, the outstanding conductor and pianist Hans von Bülow. Moreover, this happened four (!) years after the creation of the sonata - on January 27, 1857 in Berlin. The opinions of the musicians were sharply divided. Eduard Ganaslik, a major music critic of the time, spoke negatively about the sonata. J. Brahms fell asleep in front of the audience during the performance. german National Zeitung summed up angrily: "The sonata is an invitation to whistle and stomp."
Anton Rubinstein was critical of the new work, but subsequently included it in his repertoire. And how could it be otherwise! Nevertheless, this is how he commented on the performance of the sonata in one of the lectures of his huge cycle on the history of piano literature: “The sonata is his most serious piano composition, at least in name (?! - A.M.). The sonata requires the recognition of form, it needs a certain classicism, and there is nothing of the kind in Liszt's sonata. It feels “a new trend, a desire for new forms”, which consisted in writing the entire sonata, the entire symphony on one, and the entire opera on three themes. True, the theme is modified; she appears now grandiose, now graceful, now serious, now playful, now dramatic, now lyrical, now strong, now soft; but from this the general mood and integrity of the impression are lost, and the composition turns into a more or less interesting improvisation. “More or less,” added Mr. Rubinshtein, not without some malice (explanation of the author of the lecture notes. - A.M.), I leave it to you to judge.
We see that Rubinstein noted the most important features of the sonata form, not as remarkable discoveries of the composer, but rather as his miscalculations. Meanwhile, it is impossible not to be amazed at the skill with which Liszt builds a monumental form, taking as a basis, in essence, one theme. This principle is called monothematism. At the same time, the musical content of the sonata is very diverse, and although it does not have an author's literary program (or, perhaps, Liszt did not make it public), the sonata can rightfully be called "Faustian". The remarkable French pianist A. Cortot admitted: “Behind the truly symphonic development of the sonata, I imagine Goethe's Faust, which, along with the Divine Comedy, always excited Liszt's imagination. It is, as it were, a sketch of the Faust symphony, the embodiment of an agitated human soul, seeking support in action, in love, in faith, and finding them in a philosophical concept.
Fryderyk Chopin. Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor (with Funeral March)
Sonata by Fryderyk Chopin composed in 1839, first published in 1840. One of the most outstanding works of romanticism in music. Its third part is the famous Funeral (Funeral) March, written at first as a separate piece, when the composer did not yet have an idea for a sonata.
The sonata is in four movements:
I Grave. Doppio moviemento
II. Scherzo
III. Marche funebre: Lento
IV. Finale: Presto
The first part opens with a short introduction. Then the first theme (the main part) rapidly appears. Robert Schumann wrote about her that "only Chopin can start like this and only he can end like this: from dissonances through dissonances to dissonances." This theme is stormy, passionate, impulsive, with strong contrasts - a constant change forte And piano. Then it is repeated, but with shifted accents. The second theme (side part) introduces a new mood. And although it seems at first glance the opposite of the main party, it is inextricably linked with it. The middle of this part (development) is based mainly on the theme of the main game. The theme starts out in a lower register, giving it an extremely dark tone. In the middle register at this time, the introductory motives are repeated, which then turn into the bass, where they already sound fortissimo. These two themes develop the picture of dramatic struggle drawn in the sonata. After such a development, where the main part dominated, it was omitted in the reprise (if Chopin had used it again, it would have turned out monotonously; it is worth noting that he used this technique in his other piano sonatas). In the coda, the main part phrases reappear in the basses, while in the right hand powerful chords rush into the upper register.
The second movement of the sonata is entitled Scherzo by Chopin and is one of the most dramatic works of this genre written by the composer.
The third part is the focus of mournful emotions. The funeral march - in popularity and in its musical destiny - is akin to another famous march by another composer, a contemporary of F. Chopin - the Wedding March of F. Mendelssohn from his music for Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream": they are now said to have the same rating , since all people (or almost all) get married and everyone, unfortunately, dies, and every time it sounds either this wedding, or this mourning march. In both genres of music, these two marches became the main ones for the entire Christian world. And both in their applied use have undergone the same mutilation.
The fact is that both marches are written in a three-part form, where in the middle section the festive mood in one case and the tragic in the other are set off by some new emotion: sad notes sound in the Wedding March (how could it be without this in a real marriage ceremony?) , and in Mourning - enlightened. And in their original versions - orchestral by Mendelssohn and pianoforte by Chopin - both of these works are a masterpiece and reflect the deepest features of psychology. However, in ordinary everyday situations - at weddings and at funerals - these musical creations are performed in a truncated form: as a rule, in both cases only the first parts of both marches are heard. All this, to the greatest regret, creates a completely wrong idea about the true merits of these works. They can be appreciated only by listening to the performance of outstanding musicians. As for the march from the Chopin sonata, one of the pinnacles is its interpretation by the great pianist Vladimir Horowitz.
The finale of the sonata is inextricably linked with March. Anton Rubinstein described the sonata as a whole and this movement as follows: the sonata is “a whole drama, the last part of which (after such an unusually typical funeral march) I call “Night wind blowing over the graves in the cemetery”.
F. Chopin died on October 17, 1849 in Paris. He was buried in the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris. During his burial, the Funeral March was played, orchestrated by Napoleon Henri Reber. In the 20th century another orchestration was created. Its author is the English composer Edward Elgar. It was made in 1933, and a year later this version was first performed at Elgar's own funeral. It was she who became the international mourning anthem.
According to the materials of the magazine "Art" No. 9/2009
On the poster: Golden piano "Karl Bechstein" produced by the old German manufactory C. Bechstein. Photo by Alexey Skobkin (2013)
