# Vote for the greatest Piano Sonata of all time...



## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

Talking about Schubert put me in a Piano Sonata mood, so I'm going to vote for the 960. I hope my inclusions are satisfactory


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

I can't vote for a single one as it is my favorite form of expression. 

Pick one of the 32 or of the 3 woO47.


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## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

It took too long to add a poll


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I consider Chopin's two famous sonatas - No. 2 and No. 3 to be peaks of piano music and thus the piano sonata genre, no other works contain so much essential, idiomatic writing while being so universally beautiful at the same time, in my opinion that is.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahms.

Probably not Brahms actually, but I don't care about the question enough to give a proper response.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I looked in here expecting a *Poll!*


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Only one? Are you kidding me?

I guess my vote goes to Beethoven 31.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

I like many indeed. Tchaikovsky's grand sonata , Scriabin are all different (not as Schubert), among the 10, his 4th is incredible:





 goes from the dream to the drama...
and what about Berg's op. 1?





Martin


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## jdavid (Oct 4, 2011)

B's 'Hammerklavier' b/c of third movement - most satisfying complete sonata would be hmmmmmmmm No. 101, Op. 28 in A major. My next would be the Schubert No. 21 in Bb major, D. 960. My next would be Brahms Sonata No. 2 in F# minor.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Medtner Night Wind Sonata.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

clavichorder said:


> Medtner Night Wind Sonata.


Really? of all time?


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Have you listened to the whole thing? Its EPIC! Plus, since when have I ever tried to be objective.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

clavichorder said:


> Have you listened to the whole thing? Its EPIC! Plus, since when have I ever tried to be objective.


It was just a surprising answer coming from you for some reason. I thought the g minor was your favorite??


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

violadude said:


> It was just a surprising answer coming from you for some reason. I thought the g minor was your favorite??


I had a change of heart, it turns out I hadn't fully listened to the work last time you checked in, its a lot to digest, but now I'm comfortable with it.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

clavichorder said:


> I had a change of heart, it turns out I hadn't fully listened to the work last time you checked in, its a lot to digest, but now I'm comfortable with it.


I see. So I'm guessing that "the greatest" piano sonata might change again within the next month.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

violadude said:


> I see. So I'm guessing that "the greatest" piano sonata might change again within the next month.


Scriabin is approaching violadude, beware.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

clavichorder said:


> Scriabin is approaching violadude, beware.


I saw that! You're making quite some progress with 20th century music if you're citing Scriabin's 5th 9th and 10th sonatas! :O I was shocked.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

violadude said:


> I saw that! You're making quite some progress with 20th century music if you're citing Scriabin's 5th 9th and 10th sonatas! :O I was shocked.


Its true I'm not sure I quite grasp what he's doing half the time, but there's something that's really beginning to click. Also, I've always liked the theme to the tenth.


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## Sofronitsky (Jun 12, 2011)

Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano sonata sends me into raptures whenever I hear it played well. To be honest, I've never really cared for the 3rd movement but the 1st and 2nd are written well enough for me to call it my favorite.

Outside of that, it would probably be Beethoven 28 or Chopin 3 but there are some very complex, mystical stuff in those sonatas that I find very hard to latch on to. For me, the Rachmaninoff sounds like i'm listening to my heart.


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## maxshrek (Sep 14, 2011)

I'm quite sure about choosing Beethoven's Opus 109.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Sofronitsky said:


> Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano sonata sends me into raptures whenever I hear it played well. To be honest, I've never really cared for the 3rd movement but the 1st and 2nd are written well enough for me to call it my favorite.
> .


Do you listen to Ashkenazy playing the unrevised version? Always go with the unrevised.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

The romantics sound a little too histrionic to me to have composed the greatest. I always come home to B eethoven after exploring other musical periods. His work becomes a benchmark of near perfection, but not so perfect as to be boring. For me the greatest would be his #30 if that's the one with the magnificent fugue at the end.

Edit: Of course I'm aware of the irony of rejecting histrionics and then turning to Beethoven.


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Weston said:


> For me the greatest would be his #30 if that's the one with the magnificent fugue at the end.


Isn't that his 31st? The 30th has a theme and variations at the end.


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

Klavierspieler said:


> Isn't that his 31st? The 30th has a theme and variations at the end.


He's more likely talking about #29?


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

jalex said:


> He's more likely talking about #29?


I think he would have remembered the 29th.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

How many times do I have to say it? Waldstein.


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## chalkpie (Oct 5, 2011)

For me this one is easy:

Ives Piano Sonata No. 2 "Concord, Mass."

IMO not only the best American piano sonata ever written, but the most original and endlessly fascinating work ever written for the piano, period. I own a LOT of recordings, but my favorite of the past few years has been Marc-Andre Hamelin's second recording on the Hyperion label.


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

Klavierspieler said:


> I think he would have remembered the 29th.


Maybe, but it seems unlikely to me that he's talking about 31. My thinking was that 'magnificent fugue' seems more appropriate for the Hammerklavier than the fugues which end the 31st (which I suppose are 'magnificent' in a rather different way, though one less inviting of that word).


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

chalkpie said:


> the most original and endlessly fascinating work ever written for the piano, period.


*cough*Diabelli Variations*cough*


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