Schubert wrote his Arpeggione sonata, which proved to be the only major work for the instrument, for Vincenz Schuster, a guitarist in his music-making circle. Nowadays the sonata enhances the repertoires of viola players, cellists and bass-players, but it also has been transcribed for various other instruments including the flute and the euphonium. Unusually, the wistful opening theme is a 9-bar phrase, further extended when repeated by the bass.
The second theme of this sonata-form movement is lighter in character, with patterns alternating with octave leaps. In the development Schubert creates imitation in the piano left hand. Although the coda introduces a suggestion of pathos, this sonata is essentially elegant and diverting, and does not approach the profundity of Schubert’s late string quartets and piano sonatas.
The central Adagio in E major has a song-without-words character, an eloquent melody unfolding above an accompaniment of a flowing bass line. A contrasting section brings momentarily darker emotion, though each phrase finally emerges into sunlight.
Instead of returning to the opening melody, Schubert introduces expansive, poignant phrases in long notes with simple accompaniment, before a short passage for solo bass leads directly into the finale. Here the key is A major, the mood amiable, and the structure a rondo.
The movement, richly typical of Schubert’s abundant melodic gift, leads to a diminuendo and an emphatic fortissimo cadence.
Here is Tabea Zimmermann to play this sonata for you:
