Back to 3 Grandes Sonates
This edition of the Grande Sonate in C is based on the sole source, the manuscript Ms 2498 in the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
There are three piano sonatas by Reicha entitled “Grande Sonate”. Despite the French title, they were written when Reicha was living in Vienna, before his final move to Paris in 1808.
At that time, in the Austrian capital, Reicha was renewing his friendship with Beethoven and, though we have no documentary evidence for it, it was perhaps the latter’s example that influenced Reicha to write piano sonatas that were more expansive in style than his earlier ones.
Press reviews
Over a hundred of Reicha’s compositions have been published and a great number still remain in manuscript, among which many are of the highest importance to the art of music.
Hector Berlioz, Journal des Débats, 3 July 1836
C’est une écriture énergique, véloce, dont l’harmonie annonce parfois Chopin. Une agréable découverte destinée aux niveaux très avancés.
Pianiste
Audio Excerpts
A recording by the pianist Ivan Ilić of Antoine Reicha’s Grande Sonate in C is available on the Chandos label
Contents
- 1 – Allegro moderato
- 2 – Adagio
- 3 – Finale capriccio. Allegro