3 Sonatas for Piano 4 hands

Abstract

Carl CZERNY was born in I ienna on February 21, l 791 and died in that city on July 11857. He was Beethoven's pupil and the teacher of Liszt and not only a well-known teacher, but ala famous musician and composer. He was an infant prodigy who played the piano at the age ofthreeid started to compose at seven. He played the works of Bach, Mozart, Clementi and Beethoven byheaatthe age often. This famous man taught Franz Liszi and also the best known pianists of (his lime r Theodor Kuttak, Sigmund Thalberg and TheodorLescbeHtsky. if bis puplisbed works to do no! contain les than 861 opus, the totality of his initial worhum up to more than 2000 pieces without the transcriptions and arrangements. His opus t Variations Concertante" written for violin and piano on a theme by Krumpholz was composed in V6, when Czernywas 15 years old. His fust composition for piano, edited 1818 by Diabelliin Viennaut written some years before according to a request of a pupil is a rondo for 4 bauds, opus _'. heng the tide "Brilliant rondeau after a Carolina by Cirafa". In bis autobiography Memories of my life" Czerny talks about this Rondeau some yes after its composition wilh one of his pupils, Jozsef von Szalay, and was himself astonished about 'fact that he mastered such, until the unknown effects in pieces for four bands. The importance which Czemyput into the performance in duo appears clearly in the ruber and quality of bis compositions. Only approximately 100 of these pieces were edited ats lifetime Nevertheless these editions are practically out of print. Czerny himself often played Join-banded. It is known that Chopin at one ofhis first risisin \ ieuiia in the Summerof 1829 risited' Czeniy. with whom be played often. Another famous partuexis Queen I icioria of England. Czerny played with her a duo in 1837. He dedicated her in 1839 his opus 500 "Completed!practical school of the pianoforte", his opus 5/5 "March for the birthday ofherMajesty the Queen i vria". opus 5/5 Homage to Queen \ ictoria". opus 549 '(Juddril/e for the wedding of her Majesty Qui I 'icioria" and OpUS 595 "Solemn march", ft is astonishing thai none <>f these pieces were written forur bauds. The three Sonatas on this record date from 1826. They form a unity and got the numbeopus 119, 120 and 121. They originate in his first period between 1820, date of the first sonata fotfano solo, opus 7 and 1827(opus I n in B minor) the year when bis mother died They wcrecdilccv Diabclli in Vienna and bare the significant titles: '.Military and brilliant sonata' (pus IT), 'ntimental sonata" op. 120 and "Pastoral sonata" opus 121. They contain, as many works for pianci ibis time ' an ad lilnium accompaniment for violin and cello.