Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) – Partita No. 1 in Bb major
The Bb partita, as it’s called, begins with an introductory “Praeludium” then follows the suite form standardized by JS Bach himself. In this case two minuet...
Ludwig Von Beethoven (1750 – 1827) – Moonlight Sonata
The “moonlight sonata” might well be the composer’s most popular work, though it is only the first movement that garners that fame. One generally thinks of ...
Ludwig Von Beethoven (1750 – 1827) – Sonata No. 31 in Ab Major, Op. 110
In the late sonatas Beethoven returned to forms found in the Baroque and Classic periods before him. Classic sonata-allegro form was fairly strict with shor...
Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) – Sonata, Opus 57
Beethoven wrote his opus 57 sonata between the years of 1804 and 1805. It was first published in 1807 in Vienna. The name came about in an 1838 publication...
Ludwig Von Beethoven (1750 – 1827) – Sonata, Opus 79
Although Beethoven’s Opus 79 was completed in 1809 during his “romantic” period, it has a classical air about it. The first movement is in classical sonata f...
Frederic Chopin (1810 – 1849) – Sonata in B minor, Opus 58
The third sonata was written between 1844 and 1845. The first of four movements follows fairly strict sonata allegro form, though the opening theme is not re...
Frederick Chopin (1810 – 1849) – Nocturnes Opus 15
Chopin dedicated most of his musical creativity to compositions for the piano. And the creation of the 21 Nocturnes spanned most of his creative life. Though...
Frederick Chopin (1810-1849) – Three Pieces
Chopin wrote many works for the piano.
Franz Liszt (1811-1886) – Mephisto Waltz
Of Liszt’s four Mephistos, the first, programmed here, was written between 1859 and 1860 at the end of his prolific Weimer years. Other Mephistos were writte...
Franz Liszt – Paginini, 6 Gran Etudes
Franz Liszt was born in 1811 the year after Chopin’s birth, but unlike Chopin’s 39 years, he lived 76 years. And over his many years he was able to revise ma...
Franz Liszt – Three Pieces
Of the six Consolations written between 1849 and 1850, the third in Db is probably the best known. The Consolations take their title from the poems of the Fr...
Moritz Moskowski (1854 – 1925) – Etincelles
Moskowski wrote many pieces for the piano including two sets of technical studies and many short pieces. Other pieces heard sometimes today are Spanish Danc...
Moritz Moskowski & Paganini & Liszt: Sparkles and Bells
Invention of the modern piano has been credited to Bartolemeau Christofori who, around 1700, developed the first pianoforte (meaning soft/loud). The modern p...
Paganini-Liszt – (Paganini 1782–1840, Liszt 1811-1886)
La Campanella Of Liszt’s six Paganini etudes, La Campanella is the only one which is not drawn from one of Paganini’s 24 violin caprices. This piece is a tr...
Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) – Sonata in C major K159
Our man Domenico was born in Naples, Italy. And yet his life is strongly associated with Spain. This is probably because around 1720 he settled in Lisbon wit...
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) – Impromptu in Bb major
Schubert wrote two sets of four impromptus. Though some of the first movement sonata-allegro elements are well hidden, I think of both sets as four movement ...
John Philip Sousa – Stars & Stripes Forever
Transcribed by Vladimir Horowitz