In 1950, the League of Composers, a society aimed at promoting new American works, met for the twenty-fifth anniversary of its inception. Samuel Barber set to work writing a piano sonata for the occasion, and requested Vladimir Horowitz to perform it. His demands were met, and the work was received with overwhelming critical acclaim.[1] Funding for the League of Composers commission was donated by Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers.[2] Horowitz premiered the Sonata in Havana, Cuba, on December 9, 1949, followed by performances in Cleveland and Washington, DC,[3] before presenting the work at Carnegie Hall on January 23, 1950.[4]
StructureEdit
The sonata is in four movements, and usually takes twenty minutes to perform:[5]
Though extremely difficult to execute, the sonata is much more than a virtuosic showpiece. Barber integrated many 20th century musical ideas into the sonata, including extended chromaticism and tone rows.[1]
The first movement begins with a raucous theme, presented in both clefs. Barber's unique use of tone row patterns is immediately prevalent,[clarification needed] and it is through these patterns that the contrapuntal and thematic material is developed.[citation needed] The movement ends like it begins, rather abruptly.
The second movement, much lighter in tone than the first, serves somewhat as a scherzo and is far more tonally centered than the first.[citation needed] The opening motif is repeated throughout the entire movement in a variety of patterns and keys, often shifting semi-tonally. Almost as effortlessly as it starts, the second movement drifts off into the third with a high arpeggio.
Like the first movement, the thematic material in the third is presented through tone rows and chromatic figures. The third movement builds up tension through its use of highly dissonant chord progressions, and is much darker than the second.[citation needed]
The fourth movement is a classic fugue of ferocious virtuosity that makes strenuous technical demands of the performer. The main theme of the fugue, a three-bar chromatic syncopated melody, is developed over multiple variations and modulations, moving between hands and, midway through the piece, yielding to a brief E-major interlude with allusions to American Western folk music and Barber's earlier piano composition Excursions. The fugue's lengthy climax restates the main theme in a dazzling cadenza leading to a jazz-tinged block chord quotation and then a restatement in octaves over a striking ostinato motif in the left hand.
Moura Lympany, broadcast live and recorded BBC Maida Vale Studio 2, London, 7 December 1950, released by DECCA Eloquence, "Moura Lympany. The DECCA Years", in 2019
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The Piano Sonata in E flat minor Op 26 was written by Samuel Barber in 1949 for the twenty fifth anniversary of the League of Composers Commissioned by Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers it was first performed by Vladimir Horowitz and has remained a popular concert staple since 1 Contents 1 History 2 Structure 3 Notable recordings 4 See also 5 ReferencesHistory EditIn 1950 the League of Composers a society aimed at promoting new American works met for the twenty fifth anniversary of its inception Samuel Barber set to work writing a piano sonata for the occasion and requested Vladimir Horowitz to perform it His demands were met and the work was received with overwhelming critical acclaim 1 Funding for the League of Composers commission was donated by Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers 2 Horowitz premiered the Sonata in Havana Cuba on December 9 1949 followed by performances in Cleveland and Washington DC 3 before presenting the work at Carnegie Hall on January 23 1950 4 Structure EditThe sonata is in four movements and usually takes twenty minutes to perform 5 Allegro energico Allegro vivace e leggero Adagio mesto Fuga Allegro con spiritoThough extremely difficult to execute the sonata is much more than a virtuosic showpiece Barber integrated many 20th century musical ideas into the sonata including extended chromaticism and tone rows 1 The first movement begins with a raucous theme presented in both clefs Barber s unique use of tone row patterns is immediately prevalent clarification needed and it is through these patterns that the contrapuntal and thematic material is developed citation needed The movement ends like it begins rather abruptly The second movement much lighter in tone than the first serves somewhat as a scherzo and is far more tonally centered than the first citation needed The opening motif is repeated throughout the entire movement in a variety of patterns and keys often shifting semi tonally Almost as effortlessly as it starts the second movement drifts off into the third with a high arpeggio Like the first movement the thematic material in the third is presented through tone rows and chromatic figures The third movement builds up tension through its use of highly dissonant chord progressions and is much darker than the second citation needed The fourth movement is a classic fugue of ferocious virtuosity that makes strenuous technical demands of the performer The main theme of the fugue a three bar chromatic syncopated melody is developed over multiple variations and modulations moving between hands and midway through the piece yielding to a brief E major interlude with allusions to American Western folk music and Barber s earlier piano composition Excursions The fugue s lengthy climax restates the main theme in a dazzling cadenza leading to a jazz tinged block chord quotation and then a restatement in octaves over a striking ostinato motif in the left hand Notable recordings EditVladimir Horowitz released by RCA Victor 6 Moura Lympany broadcast live and recorded BBC Maida Vale Studio 2 London 7 December 1950 released by DECCA Eloquence Moura Lympany The DECCA Years in 2019 Van Cliburn released by RCA 7 Terence Judd released by Chandos full citation needed Marc Andre Hamelin released in August 2004 by Hyperion 8 John Browning released by Phoenix USA full citation needed Stephen Beus released by Endeavour Classics full citation needed Olga Kern released by Harmonia Mundi full citation needed Daniel Pollack released by NAXOS Grammy Nomination full citation needed Joel Fan released in April 2009 by Reference Recordings 9 10 11 Leon McCawley released in January 2010 by Warner Classics 12 Christopher Atzinger released by MSR Classics 13 Isata Kanneh Mason released in 2021 by Decca Willis Delony released in 1989 by Centaur RecordsSee also EditList of compositions by Samuel BarberReferences Edit a b c Hans Tischler Barber s Piano Sonata Op 26 Music amp Letters 33 no 4 October 1952 352 54 http ml oxfordjournals org cgi pdf extract XXXIII 4 352 The World of Music Commissions New York Times 11 December 1949 X7 Plaskin Glenn Horowitz a biography ISBN 0 688 02656 7 p229 Olin Downes Horowitz Offers Barber s Sonata The New York Times 24 January 1950 27 Eric Brisson Barber Sonata for Piano Op 26 http www pianopedia com w 1097 barber aspx 4 March 2010 recorded May 15 1950 issued on RCA Victor Red Seal LM 1113 recorded August 1967 in RCA Studio A New York City issued in October 1971 on RCA Red Seal LSC 3229 Ives amp Barber Piano Sonatas Joel Fan West of The Sun Music of the Americas ClassicsToday com Joel Fan Recording Review Gramophone Magazine Joel Fan Recording Review Samuel Barber Adagio 100th Anniversary MSR Classics CHRISTOPHER ATZINGER DEBUT MS1189 www msrcd com Retrieved 2016 09 22 Portal nbsp Classical Music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Piano Sonata Barber amp oldid 1151352428, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
