Schubert(1797~1828) is a significant composer to represent early Romantic era and as a composer to link the Classical and Romantic period. Schubert composed twenty three piano sonatas over his lifetime. His piano sonatas can be categorized into early,...
Schubert(1797~1828) is a significant composer to represent early Romantic era and as a composer to link the Classical and Romantic period. Schubert composed twenty three piano sonatas over his lifetime. His piano sonatas can be categorized into early, middle, and later stages of his musical career. These stages are based off of the voided stage of Schubert's struggling time to find his own style.
In Schubert's music, melody takes up the significant part and appears exquisitely in all of his compositions. This includes sonatas which are classical form of instrumental music.
Schubert was influenced by Beethoven more than any other composers. Although his Piano Sonata in A Major D664 Op.120 is one of his early
sonatas, it clearly shows his own musical features. This sonata highlights melodies that have vocal elements and it is shorter and smaller in scale.
The theme melody in Schubert’s sonata is long and progresses in a sequence. Harmonies change colors through prelude with various use of rhythms such as syncopation, triplets, appogiatura, and pedal points. In trms of dynamics, sudden shift of contrasting motif and freely used pauses create some tensions.
Schubert has a significant role of meaning in his time as an important early Romantic period composer as he uses the sonata form with lyrical melodies and colorful harmonies in his musical style.
In this thesis, Schubert’s early Sonatas of romantic and classical style are discussed as well as the new approaches he incorporated with sonara forms in his last composition, Piano Sonata in A Major, D664, Op.120.