# Greatest/Favorite Piano Sonatas



## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

So I was thinking of creating a poll where you vote for you think are the greatest piano sonatas in the repertoire! I limit it to choose 15 possible choices. If you have any other suggestions than the 15 listed, mention them in the thread!


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Favorites: Schubert Sonata No.13, D 664
Haydn Sonata No.60 Hob. XVl:50


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Beethoven, Op. 106 and 111. They always grab my attention.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

My absolute favorite is Beethoven No. 30, with 29 and 32 on its heels.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

ORigel said:


> My absolute favorite is Beethoven No. 30, with 29 and 32 on its heels.


I remember one time I was listening to the opening of Op. 30. I was thinking it was a series of ascending and descending two-note patterns. Then my wife came in and said, "It sounds like a waterfall." I guess you can tell which one of us is the artist.


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## TalkingPie (May 15, 2020)

Probably not the bestest best, but Brahm's 3rd sonata is pretty rad


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Somewhat disappointing poll choices - my favorite Schubert (the 19th) and Mozart (the 14th) are not on there. The Liszt and the Hammerklavier are my two favorites. Next would come Beethoven’s last 3 (I never think of them individually), Brahms’s 3rd, Prokofiev’s 7th, Chopin’s 2nd and 3rd; Schubert 16, 19, 20, 21.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

These are all great. But Beethoven's last 5 are cosmic.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Beethoven's last five and Schubert's last three. Oh and Liszt's the ultimate revolutionary sonata


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

I'm not much for the piano music of the high Romantic period; the sunshine, flowers, birds, and rain-drop, stuff of Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn and Chopin; but I really do like the Grieg sonata.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

I would switch Beethoven Op.101 with either of the two, Op.109, Op.110 in the list. I consider Op.101 more melodically-inspired and thoroughly-composed (especially towards the ending) than the two.


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

Beethoven's exquisite No. 21 is missing here. I think the _Waldstein_ may just be my favourite piece of his.


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## ZeR0 (Apr 7, 2020)

My personal favorites at the moment are Scriabin's late piano sonatas. Out of the choices given, I voted for Beethoven 29-32, Schubert 20 and 21, and the Liszt sonata. I also like Mozart 14, Beethoven 8, Schubert 19, Medtner Sonata Romantica, Chopin 2 and 3, Haydn 62, Prokofiev 8, Ives 2, Berg, Alkan Grand sonate, Rachmaninoff 2, Barber, Boulez 2, and an assortment of Scarlatti and Clementi sonatas.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

hammeredklavier said:


> I would switch Beethoven Op.101 with either of the two, Op.109, Op.110 in the list. I consider Op.101 more melodically-inspired and thoroughly-composed (especially towards the ending) than the two.


I would have guessed No. 29 for you. But apparently you don't dwell in the obvious.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Manxfeeder said:


> I would have guessed No. 29 for you. But apparently you don't dwell in the obvious.


Note that his nick is _hammer*ed*klavier_ though, so perhaps he doesn't even like Beethoven's sonata No. 29.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> Somewhat disappointing poll choices - my favorite Schubert (the 19th) and Mozart (the 14th) are not on there. The Liszt and the Hammerklavier are my two favorites. Next would come Beethoven's last 3 (I never think of them individually), Brahms's 3rd, Prokofiev's 7th, Chopin's 2nd and 3rd; Schubert 16, 19, 20, 21.


Hehe, I was thinking of choosing Mozart's 14th instead of No 8... It was a tough choice. Schubert No 19 could also have been there, I agree. And nice you mention Schubert's 16th. I wanted it to be one of the options, but I thought it would have been too controversial, since it doesn't seem to be generally as highly regarded as his last 3 for example.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Skilmarilion said:


> Beethoven's exquisite No. 21 is missing here. I think the _Waldstein_ may just be my favourite piece of his.


It deserves a place there in a way... I agree. But I was forced to limit myself and it would have been weird to have just options between Schubert and Beethoven(which is what would have happened if I would have been too subjective)


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Voted for all Beethoven's sonatas except No. 30, for Schubert's last sonata and for Liszt's in B minor.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Allerius said:


> Voted for all Beethoven's sonatas except No. 30, for Schubert's last sonata and for Liszt's in B minor.


Why not Op 109? It is my favorite along with Op 111!


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Although the variations in Opus 109 reminds me of being in love when I was much younger, and the slow movement of Opus 106 transports me, the Arietta of Opus 111 transports me more.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

MarkW said:


> Although the variations in Opus 109 reminds me of being in love when I was much younger, and the slow movement of Opus 106 transports me, the Arietta of Opus 111 transports me more.


Op 109 reminds me of man's discovery of a love for or a need for God. Op 111 is a union with God.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Beebert said:


> Why not Op 109? It is my favorite along with Op 111!


I didn't want to vote for all Beethoven sonatas in the poll (a kind of personal rule, as you asked for favorites), and although I love Op. 109, it's my least favorite from his last three sonatas at the moment (the one that I love the most is Op. 110).

I usually listen to Beethoven's late sonatas either with Goode or with Schnabel (I really like their performances); who is your favorite artist playing Op. 109?


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Beethoven's Opp. 101, 106, 109, 110, 111. All the others then in no particular order. (edit)I'd probably include Beethoven's Op. 28 as well.


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

Some of my favourites which are not on the list: Waldstein, Les Adieux, op. 101, D. 784, D. 845, D. 958, Brahms 3, Ives 2 and some Medtner. I would have named some other favourites by Beethoven and Schubert but that would be a pretty long list that way.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I'm satisfied with the list. It has my 3 favorites - Beethoven"Hammerklavier" and Schubert's D 894 and 959.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Allerius said:


> I didn't want to vote for all Beethoven sonatas in the poll (a kind of personal rule, as you asked for favorites), and although I love Op. 109, it's my least favorite from his last three sonatas at the moment (the one that I love the most is Op. 110).
> 
> I usually listen to Beethoven's late sonatas either with Goode or with Schnabel (I really like their performances); who is your favorite artist playing Op. 109?


I understand!
I love Schnabel. He is my favorite in Beethoven overall and certainly has one of the best interpretations of Op 109. I also like Richter in Leipzig and Arrau. I often end up listning to one of those recordings.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Highwayman said:


> Some of my favourites which are not on the list: Waldstein, Les Adieux, op. 101, D. 784, D. 845, D. 958, Brahms 3, Ives 2 and some Medtner. I would have named some other favourites by Beethoven and Schubert but that would be a pretty long list that way.


I am glad to see that some mention D 845. I find it to be a great sonata. I wonder why it is not ranked higher here on TC's ranked lists?


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

I have a 2CD set of the Scriabin sonatas (Ashkenazy) and the 2nd CD is 6-10. I love listening to them as though they are one piece.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

Highwayman said:


> Some of my favourites which are not on the list: Waldstein, Les Adieux, op. 101, D. 784, D. 845, D. 958, Brahms 3, Ives 2 and some Medtner. I would have named some other favourites by Beethoven and Schubert but that would be a pretty long list that way.


I love the Gilels CD with Waldstein, Les Adieux and Appassionata. All great, and great performances.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

All 555 Scarlatti Sonatas, played at the same time.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Couchie said:


> All 555 Scarlatti Sonatas, played at the same time.


they sound like the music of "666", with lots of tritones


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Couchie said:


> All 555 Scarlatti Sonatas, played at the same time.


This seriously sounds like something someone like Xenakis would write. An avant-garde masterpiece! And the ending with everything dying away, concluding with that lone tune, is strangely beautiful!


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> This seriously sounds like something someone like Xenakis would write. An avant-garde masterpiece! And the ending with everything dying away, concluding with that lone tune, is strangely beautiful!


It sounds like a musical (or sonic) representation of the big bang theory. Or maybe it could be called "Genesis 1".


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Beethoven op.109 & op.111; Chopin op.58; Schubert D960; Liszt B minor. Lame choices perhaps, but these are the ones for me. If Prokofiev's 8th was on there (why is it not?! It's clearly the best of the War sonatas ) that would get my vote too.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

The one I'm most addicted to is Prokofiev's 7th, and I never get tired of. The Scriabin 5 is also getting there. Of Beethoven's, i like his Les Adieux and Op 109.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

I forgot to mention in my post Scriabin's 5th. A truly transcendental work. I have numerous recordings of it and they all show me something different. Scriabin is overall one of the greatest writers of piano sonatas, behind Prokofiev, Schubert & Beethoven.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

flamencosketches said:


> I forgot to mention in my post Scriabin's 5th. A truly transcendental work. I have numerous recordings of it and they all show me something different. Scriabin is overall one of the greatest writers of piano sonatas, behind Prokofiev, Schubert & Beethoven.


What would you say are th 3 or so greatest sonatas of those four composers respectively?


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

How come almost everyone find Schubert's D 960 superior to his D 959?


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Beebert said:


> What would you say are th 3 or so greatest sonatas of those four composers respectively?


Hmm... Not sure if I'll be able to find a satisfactory answer to that question, but I'll try.

Scriabin: No.5, No.9, & No.3 
Schubert: D960, D958, & D894
Prokofiev: No.6, No.7 & No.8 (I may be neglecting No.9... I don't know it as well as the others, but it may well supersede one of these)
Beethoven: op.109, op.111, & op.106 (damn, I didn't want to do all late sonatas, but I couldn't neglect any of these four... it was hard enough snubbing op.110 and op.101)

All subject to change on a moment's notice...


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

flamencosketches said:


> Beethoven op.109 & op.111; Chopin op.58; Schubert D960; Liszt B minor. Lame choices perhaps, but these are the ones for me. If Prokofiev's 8th was on there (why is it not?! It's clearly the best of the War sonatas ) that would get my vote too.


I have the Prokofiev _War_ sonatas with Bronfman, Donohoe and only the #8 with Lücker, but haven't heard them enough to have a favorite performer yet. Which is(are) your personal favorite performance(s) for them?


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

flamencosketches said:


> Hmm... Not sure if I'll be able to find a satisfactory answer to that question, but I'll try.
> 
> Scriabin: No.5, No.9, & No.3
> Schubert: D960, D958, & D894
> ...


Hehe. No D 959?


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Allerius said:


> I have the Prokofiev _War_ sonatas with Bronfman, Donohoe and only the #8 with Lücker, but haven't heard them enough to have a favorite performer yet. Which is(are) your personal favorite performance(s) for them?


I like Richter for the War Sonatas. I also like Pollini's more cerebral reading of No.7. I haven't heard Bronfman or Donohoe but I can see both of them being quite good, I'll have to check it out. I also recently got Stepháne Ginsburgh's complete set of the Prokofiev sonatas and really enjoy it.



Beebert said:


> Hehe. No D 959?


Trust that it wasn't easy to omit.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Beebert said:


> How come almost everyone find Schubert's D 960 superior to his D 959?


No idea. I've always preferred D 959; it's one of my top five piano sonatas.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

Bulldog said:


> No idea. I've always preferred D 959; it's one of my top five piano sonatas.


The others being?


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Voted for Beethoven 32, Schubert 21, Liszt & Scriabin 5 
Would have voted for Scriabin 3 & 8 as well.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

I find it really surprising that D 959 scored so low points...


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