Piano
SKU:
BR.EB-8118
Composed
by Richard Wagner. Solo
instruments; Softcover.
Edition Breitkopf.
Sonata; Romantic. Score.
Composed 1831. 24 pages.
Breitkopf and Haertel #EB
8118. Published by
Breitkopf and Haertel
(BR.EB-8118).
ISBN
9790004175019. 9 x 12
inches.
Richard
Wagner (1813-1883) is
rightly considered as the
19th-century music
dramatist whose formal
and harmonic originality,
for example in Tristan
and Isolde, provided a
significant impetus to
the development of
20th-century music.
Despite Wagner's fame,
his reuvre for piano
remains practically
unknown. Tobe sure, these
primarily early works and
occasional compositions
hardly even hint at the
outstanding
characteristics of the
later works such as
leit-motifs, flowing
transitions or original
forms. Nonetheless,
whoever is acquainted
with Wagner's later music
dramas will undoubtedly
not fail to be impressed
by the individual melodic
and harmonic traits of
his piano works. The
Sonata in B-flat Major
Op. 1 is of special
interest to us today
since it is Wagner's
first published work,
composed in 1831 and
printed in 1832 by
Breitkopf & Hartel. At
that time, Wagner was
studying counterpoint
with Theodor Weinlig, the
choral master and music
director of the
Thomasschule in Leipzig.
Weinlig, however, only
agreed to give Wagner
lessons if he promised to
refrain from composing
for half a year. In the
course of his studies,
Wagner was allowed to
compose the piano sonata
in B-flat Major as a kind
of journeyman-work. His
teacher Weinlig succeeded
in having the work
published by Breitkopf &
Hartel. Hence the
dedication of this piece
to Weinlig is not
surprising, since the
18-year-old Wagner would
otherwise have had great
difficulty finding a
publisher. This Sonata in
B-flat Major, which has
long been out of print,
is a reproduction of the
first edition by
Breitkopf & Hartel (plate
number 10433). For this
reprint, obvious
typographical errors have
been corrected (missing
or wrong accidentals and
dynamic indications). The
work presents a
four-movement classical
sonata form and is
stylistically reminiscent
of Mozart and Beethoven.
Shortly before composing
this sonata, Wagner wrote
a piano reduction of
Beethoven's Ninth
Symphony, which was
easily playable and yet
gratifying to hear. This
helps explain the
octave-doublings typical
of piano reductions.
Wiesbaden, Fall
1980
Respectfully
dedicated to Theodor
Weinlig, the choral
master and music director
of the Thomasschule in
Leipzig.
