Kawai Piano Prices: Sonata for Piano, Op. 26 [Paperback] Review

Samuel Barber's only sonata for the piano (sometimes also listed as the "Sonata in e flat minor") is a masterful work of the twentieth century.The four movements are each quite different in style, form, and texture: the first movement is in sonata form while the fourth movement is a four-voice fugue; the second movement is polytonal in parts and almost carnival-like in its short B section, whereas the third and first movements are more romantic, and the fourth is filled with syncopated rhythms and suspensions that make strong references to the jazz music of the era.

The purchaser should probably be forewarned: this is a highly virtuosic work (especially the fourth movement), requiring a very well-developed technique, and because it is relatively dissonant and not always written in a specific key area, it can be very difficult to learn.Needless to say however, it is worth the effort.This is a masterpiece of the 20th century, and an important part of the standard piano repertoire.

The Schirmer edition of this work, listed here, is a clear, easy-to-read score.I have been disappointed with some Schirmer scores in the past, but this one is truly worth every penny.There are no note mistakes in the score, the pages are thankfully spared the clutter of unnecessary ossias and alternate fingerings, and the complex rhythms are presented in a comprehensible way, with appropriate spacings.This is a very good edition of an excellent sonata.

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Product Description:
Sonata