Piano Sonata (Grieg)

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Edvard Grieg's Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7 was written in 1865 when Grieg was only 22 years old.[1] The sonata was published a year later and revised in 1887. The work was Grieg's only piano sonata and was dedicated to Danish composer Niels Wilhelm Gade. A recording still exists of Grieg performing his own sonata, showing that he was an accomplished pianist. The sonata has four movements with the following tempo markings:

  1. Allegro moderato
  2. Andante molto
  3. Alla Menuetto, ma poco più lento
  4. Finale: Molto allegro

A typical performance lasts just under 20 minutes.

In a 1944 letter to Ella Grainger, Percy Grainger mentioned planning to orchestrate the sonata. He apparently did so, but only a sketch is extant.[2]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Layton, Robert (1998). Grieg. London: Omnibus Press, p. 155. ISBN 0-7119-4811-9. OCLC 40498189. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  2. ^ Grainger, Percy; Gillies, Malcolm; Pear, David (1994). The All-Round Man: Selected Letters of Percy Grainger, 1914-1961. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, 196. ISBN 0-19-816377-0. OCLC 30547744. Retrieved on 2008-02-19.