Complete Sonatas for Pianoforte Solo

by Franz Schubert

The piano sonatas of Franz Schubert are characterized by the supremely lyrical greatness that distinguishes all of this composer's work. The unfailing melody, the fresh modulations, and the emotional range — from blissful contentment to pensive melancholy — of these works place them firmly among the undisputed piano classics.
This volume, reproduced directly from Series 10 of the definitive Breitkopf & Härtel Schubert-Gesammtausgabe, contains all fifteen of Schubert's piano the charming early sonatas, the groundbreaking sonatas of the early 1820s, right up to the brilliant final sonatas.
Noteheads in this edition have been reproduced in a size large enough to be read easily at the keyboard, and margins and spaces between staves are conveniently wide to permit written notes, harmonic analysis, fingerings, and running measure numbers. Essential to all classical pianists, this edition is also practical for study, reference, enjoyment — virtually any use.

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1970

About the author

Franz Peter Schubert (31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras.

Although he died at the age of 31, Schubert was a prolific composer, having written some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies (including the famous "Unfinished Symphony"), liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music.

Appreciation of Schubert's music during his lifetime was limited, but interest in his work increased significantly in the decades following his death. Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Felix Mendelssohn, among others, discovered and championed his works in the 19th century.

Today, Schubert is seen as one of the leading exponents of the early Romantic era in music and he remains one of the most frequently performed composers.

Reviews

[Eric]

This should no longer be considered the complete sonatas. It is a reprint of a collection, and when the collection was prepared over a century ago that title was probably accurate, this was true, but scholarship has changed opinion, I believe, about whether to include some works here and whether to perhaps include some fragmentary works (napkin-works, so to speak, written on parts of manuscripts!) that are now, at least, included on complete recordings of Schubert sonatas. Even the late unfinished "Reliquie" sonata in C major is not included in this set, though the early and arguably also fragmentary first few sonatas are. Still, it's a good set prepared by a fine 19th-century editor. Dover has in recent years- since I acquired my copy - increased their price on this as on most of their properties, which is a different story. No real idea -when- I acquired or started reading mine, and I never did read it through start to finish really- more read it while listening to each piece, in a way that covered each work at least once.