# Greatest Piano Sonata



## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Vote for what in your opinion is the greatest piano sonata ever written!


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Beethoven op.106 B flat major
(not the most beautiful, but the greatest - the most beautiful is Beethoven's op.109)


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Where's the poll? Anyways, I find Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" the best piano sonata I've ever heard. However, my favorite is Haydn's no. 58.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

For some reason the alternatives didn't show up... Big failure haha.

Anyway, let us each mention our top 15 greatest sonatas or something then! I was going to make a list of 15 alternatives.


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Liszt’s B Minor and Ives Concord. Honorable mentions: Beethoven’s last five, Schubert 18-21, Prokofiev 6-8, Chopin 2-3, Brahms 3


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Good alternatives. I was going to have the following as alternatives:

Beethoven:
No. 28, Op 101
No. 29, Op 106
No. 30, Op 109
No. 31, Op 110
No. 32, Op 111

Schubert:
No. 18, D 894
No. 19, D 958
No. 20, D 959
No. 21, D 960

Liszt:
B minor

Chopin:
No. 3, Op 58

Prokofiev:
No. 6, Op 82
No. 7, Op 83

Scriabin:
No. 5, Op 53

Other

Among those my preferred ones are Beethoven Op 106 and Op 110 and Schubert's last two.


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

My current favourite is Waldstein but I also think Hammerklavier is the greatest.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Beethoven Op. 109

Narrowly over Op. 106, Op. 111


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Haydn - No. 62 in E-flat major
Mozart - K. 310 in A minor
Beethoven - Op. 27, no. 2 in C# minor ("Moonlight")
Beethoven - Op. 53 in C major ("Waldstein")
Beethoven - Op. 111 in C minor
Schubert - No. 27 in B-flat major
Chopin - No. 3 in B major
Liszt - B minor
Brahms - No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5
Dukas - in E minor
Scriabin - No. 5
Rachmaninov - No. 2 in B-flat minor
Berg - Op. 1
Prokofiev - No. 8
Dutilleux - Op. 1


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## WNvXXT (Nov 22, 2020)




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## HerbertNorman (Jan 9, 2020)

I absolutely adore the 21st Schubert piano Sonata D.960 ...

The best I think is the "Hammerklavier" Beethoven...

I really love the "Waldstein" too


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

No poll, no game - off to the main Classical Discussion forum we go.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> No poll, no game - off to the main Classical Discussion forum we go.


You're doing a very good job of keeping this place tidy! Appreciated.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Barber - Sonata
Beethoven - Sonata No 21 ("Waldstein")
Liszt - Sonata in B Minor
Prokofiev - Sonata No 2
Scriabin - Sonata No 9 ("Black Mass")


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

WNvXXT said:


>


An almost criminally underrated sonata. The second movement contains some of the best music ever written for the instrument.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

the greatest metaphysically is Beethoven No. 32.

the greatest compositionally is Beethoven No. 29 "Hammerklavier."


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## Marc (Jun 15, 2007)

My top 3 right now:

Mozart: Sonata in C minor, KV 457
Beethoven: Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109
Chopin: Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

*1) Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Sonata #29 Op.106 known as the Große Sonate für das Hammerklavier (1818)

**2) Alexander Scriabin - Piano Sonata #5 Op.53 (1907)

3) Franz Liszt - Piano Sonata in B-Minor (1853)

4) Chopin - Sonata #3 in B-Minor Op. 58 (1844)

5) Charles-Valantin Alkan - Grand Sonata: The Four **Ages (1847)*


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## Skakner (Oct 8, 2020)

*Beethoven's Hammerklavier* op. 106, would also be my pick.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Roger Knox said:


> Beethoven - Op. 27, no. 2 in C# minor ("Moonlight")
> Beethoven - Op. 53 in C major ("Waldstein")


I am happy to see someone not only list Beethoven's late works. Although I'd not choose op. 27.

My list:

*Beethoven*
Opus 10: Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor
Opus 13: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ("Pathétique")
Opus 57: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor ("Appassionata")
Opus 81a: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major ("Les adieux/Das Lebewohl")

*Hummel* - Piano Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 81

*Liszt* - B Minor
*Chopin* - B-flat Minor
*Brahms* - Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5 
*Schumann* - Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22

*Ives* - Concord
*Scriabin* - Piano Sonata No. 7 
*Prokofiev* - Piano Sonata No. 4
*Boulez* - Sonata no. 2
*Carter* - Piano Sonata


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

Highwayman said:


> My current favourite is Waldstein but I also think Hammerklavier is the greatest.


Waldsetein might be my favorite too. Hammerklavier might be too bloated for my taste.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Historically greatest -- Beethoven, op. 111
Greatest listening experience for me now -- Dutilleux Sonata


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## Ned Low (Jul 29, 2020)

Appassionata for me.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I most want to vote for Ravel's _Gaspard de la Nuit_, but I guess technically its not a sonata, so my favorites are probably:

Mozart k545
Prokofiev no. 8
Ives Concord

Bartok's is pretty trippy.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Ives Concord which I was recently introduced to.


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Beethoven's late sonatas


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Like many others, Beethoven's last five, of which, if I have to nominate just one, Op.109 just gets it over Op.110.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Any of Beethoven's last 5 along with the Waldstein and the Liszt B minor.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Ives Concord which I was recently introduced to.


I take this back. Probably Mozart's first. I love that first movement especially!


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Today I also think that it's the _Hammerklavier_, although it's not my favorite. Some of the contenders for me now would be the other late Beethoven sonatas, the _Appassionata_, the _Waldstein_, Schubert's last sonatas, Chopin's #2 and Liszt's in B minor. There are important famous sonatas that were mentioned by other members and that I still need to explore though.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Beethoven Les Adieux
Scriabin No. 5
Prokofiev No. 8
Hindemith No. 3


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

So:

Beethoven, No. 30 and 31, Op 109 & Op 110
Schubert, No. 20 and 21, D 959 & D 960


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

Interested that a few people list Hammerklavier as the greatest but not their favourite - which seems odd to me. But then again, that's a whole other rabbit hole :devil: And i am rather a linear thinker. Anyway, it is my favourite. That's all I'm saying.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Beethoven's op.106 is just too overwhelming. And has relentless banging in the outer movements  But it would be probably be my second or third favorite after op.109 and 110. I also think that the Wandererfantasie is in some ways Schubert's best (most original and pathbreaking) piano piece but I prefer several piano sonatas.


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## DGH (Nov 18, 2013)

Greatest? No idea. But my personal favourites? 

1. Beethoven #23 (Appassionata)
2. Alkan's Grande Sonate
3. Liszt Sonata in B Minor
4. Beethoven #21 (Waldstein)
5. Beethoven #32
6. Beethoven #8 (Pathetique)
7. Beethoven #14 (Moonlight)
8. Dukas sonata
9. Godowsky sonata
10. Beethoven #29 (Hammerklavier)

That last one is probably the 'greatest' I suppose.


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## DGH (Nov 18, 2013)

juliante said:


> Interested that a few people list Hammerklavier as the greatest but not their favourite - which seems odd to me. But then again, that's a whole other rabbit hole :devil: And i am rather a linear thinker. Anyway, it is my favourite. That's all I'm saying.


For me there's a difference between what I can intellectually recognise as 'great' and what profoundly moves me on the emotional level. That latter often involves things that don't pertain to the music itself. The Appassionata - though obviously great in its own right - is my favourite sonata because of the memories it evokes about my father. Intellectually though I think the Hammerklavier is the 'greater' artistic work.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

I realize it’s passé for forum posters to say, but I’m going with the Moonlight.

Others: Appassionata, Pathetique, Op. 111, Schubert D. 960, Liszt B minor


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## Gallus (Feb 8, 2018)

Op. 110 here for me.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Of course, having opted for Beethoven Opp.109&110, I'm now feeling guilty for passing over Liszt's Bmin edifice. But that's a piece so much 'of itself' that I find it difficult to compare even with Hammerklavier, with which it shares something.


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

Not the greatest but some of my favorites:

1. Grieg: Piano Sonata
2. Beethoven: Piano Sonata #8 "Pathetique"
3. Beethoven: Piano Sonata #14 "Moonlight" 
4. Beethoven: Piano Sonata # 15 "Pastorale"
5. Mozart: Piano Sonata #11 "Rondo Ala Turca"
6. Barber: Piano Sonata 
7. Ornstein: Piano Sonata #4
8. Ives: "Concord" Piano Sonata
9. Carter: Piano Sonata 
10. Cage: Sonatas for Prepared Piano 

I also like the Haydn Piano Sonatas.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Give me peace. Another greatest thread. Is it objectively the greatest or subjectively the greatest? If it is objectively then I vote for Chopin Sonata 2. If subjectively, then I vote for Sonata No. 2 by Chopin. The Marche Funebre is suitably apposite for this thread.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Beebert said:


> Vote for what in your opinion is the greatest piano sonata ever written!


Single greatest piano sonata. This is just as hard to decide as it is to compose one. But maybe a poll with options would have been fun! Let's pick one each from the Gods:

Something emotional.
Fortepiano by Paul Poletti, after Jean-Louis Dulcken, 1795





Something orderly, enlightened and balanced.
Fortepiano after Anton Walter (1752 - 1826)





Something pre-Romantic but yet thoroughly elegant with Classical proportions.
Fortepiano owned by Mozart himself, by Anton Walter ca. 1780.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Piano sonatas are not numerous amongst my music accumulation, but I have a dozen below:

Szymanowski - Sonata No. 3 
Ives - 'Concord' Sonata
Chávez - Piano Sonata No.2
Enescu - Piano Sonata No. 1
Valen - Sonata No. 2
Ginastera - Piano Sonata No. 1
Barraqué - Sonate pour piano
Tansman - Sonata No. 5
Jolivet - Piano Sonata No. 2
Boulez - Troisième Sonate pour piano 
Castérède - Sonata for piano
Kupferman - Sonata Occulta


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

juliante said:


> Interested that a few people list Hammerklavier as the greatest but not their favourite - which seems odd to me. But then again, that's a whole other rabbit hole :devil: And i am rather a linear thinker. Anyway, it is my favourite. That's all I'm saying.


I love all it's movements and revere it for it's difficulty and complexity, but I love even more the last three sonatas and, perhaps, the _Appassionata_.


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## golfer72 (Jan 27, 2018)

Probably Beethoven Opus 110


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## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

good example of what I think is great versus what I most like, that said, Beethoven Waldstein op. 53, fits both. Many other examples spin off a bit from the sonata form in a way that demonstrates the limitation of sonata form, and they remain great music. Beethoven, Beethoven, Beethoven.


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## jkl (May 4, 2021)

My favorite by Schubert is the piano sonata in G major D. 894, Op. 78. It's a steady and sublime work.


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