Schubert composed his great Piano Sonata in A major just a few months before his untimely death in 1828. The balance this work strikes between lyrical melody, emotional intimacy and pianistic brilliance makes it a highlight among his sonatas, not least because of its poetic “Andantino”.
This sonata is straightforward, with a lovely melodic opening. It was the first of Schubert’s piano sonatas where the sonata form as perfected by his idol, Beethoven, does not seem wrestled with; rather, it is a “joyous breakthrough”, a carefree triumph over strict rules of composition and Sonata Form.
Here is the music, as performed by the late master, Sviatoslav Richter:
