Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 11/03/2010, uploaded on 04/13/2011

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Samuel Barber’s only sonata for the piano, the Piano Sonata in E-flat minor was composed during 1947-49. The work was commissioned by Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the League of Composers, a society aimed at promoting new American classical music, and was to be premiered by Vladimir Horowitz. Barber responded enthusiastically to the commission, quickly producing the first movement. However, his attention was torn between the many projects different projects he was engaged in at the time, and the sonata was soon placed on a backburner. Eight months later, Barber picked up work again on the sonata, producing two more movements. Though he had only planned a three-movement work, Horowitz convinced Barber that the sonata needed a flashy finale. Barber acquiesced, yet the movement caused him great consternation. For months, Barber was unable to make any headway on the movement. Finally, after being called a “constipated composer” by Horowitz, Barber in a fury dashed off the entire movement in one day. The sonata was enthusiastically received following Horowitz’s premiere, and remains today a favorite piece in the repertoire.

While Barber maintained traditional forms for each of the sonata’s four movements, he also drew on a more heavily contrapuntal style during the work’s composition, fusing it with his already well-defined lyricism. Through this use of counterpoint, the sonata reaches a level of dissonance not found in his earlier works. The first movement, energetic and lively, is in sonata form, and, curiously, even incorporates some use of twelve-tone techniques. Next follows a sprightly scherzo in rondo form. The third movement, an Adagio, returns to the chromaticism of the first, dissipating the brighter mood brought about by the scherzo. Lastly, a jarring and intense fugue brings the sonata to a tumultuous close.     Joseph DuBose

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Piano Sonata Op. 26   Samuel Barber

I. Allegro energico; II. Allegro vivace e leggero; III. Adagio mesto; IV. Fuga: Allegro con spirito Samuel Barber's Piano Sonata (1947-1949) was hailed as a masterpiece of American musical literature and the newest landmark work for the piano. The piece was commissioned in the fall of 1947 by Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the League of Composers. The sonata was premiered by Vladimir Horowitz.

Barber originally had a three-movement sonata in mind, but Horowitz convinced him that the piece needed a "very flashy last movement." This last movement caused Barber much frustration. After months with no progress, Horowitz telephoned Barber and, hoping to inspire him, called him a "constipated composer." Barber became angry and wrote the entire fourth movement the next day.

Barber chose to set all movements in conventional forms; the first is cast in sonata form. This movement is fast-moving and energetic. The second movement is a nimble and delicate scherzo, set in rondo form. The third movement, languorous and expressive, is the most demonstrative of Barber's encounter with the innovations of the early twentieth century. Chromaticism and melodies using all 12 tones are abundant. A four-voice fugue, formally similar to those of Bach (much loved by Barber) serves as the finale. Though conventional in structure, this movement also contains complicated syncopated rhythms and jazz harmonies. Inon Barnatan

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.