Ursula dutschler –

Complete piano sonatas 8

Comparatively few listeners even today know how much Dussek did toward developing the technical resources of the piano. The contemporary of Mozart, and a great pianist in his own right, he composed more than fifty Sonatas, twelve Concertos and many smaller pieces responding to the tastes of his audiences and publishers for smaller and lighter pieces such as variations on popular themes. The Sonatinas gathered here were composed primarily for instruction: simple and conventional in style, smaller in technical and emotional range, as well as shorter in length than his sonatas. Yet Dussek was a great melodist and, even when trivial, he never ceases to be graceful and pleasing. Dussek was resident in London throughout the 1790s and published there a good proportion of his prophetically Romantic sonatas and shorter pieces such as these sonatinas, which appeared in print in 1793 (Op.20) and 1794 (Op.34). Each Sonatina in the Op.20 set - also known as Op.19 - falls into a pair of short but distinct movements: a fairly quick, always sunny Allegro followed by a slightly slower Rondo. This is not the place for the keyboard fireworks of his later sonatas. Dussek was catering for the musical preferences of London middle-class amateurs, who hankered after a Romantic spotlighting of melody within the thinner, clearer lines of the Classical keyboard idiom. The 'song without words' texture can be traced in a direct line from Dussek through to Mendelssohn and beyond. The Sonatinas Op.20 were originally published ad libitum accompaniments for flute whereas Dussek's introductory dedication to Op.34 makes their didactic purpose clear: 'Twelve progressive lessons for the Piano Forte in which are introduced several characteristic airs of different nations, dedicated to the Right Honorable Lady Harriot Montague.'

Country of Pressing	US
Artist	Ursula Dutschler
Released	2020
Music Genre	Classical
Label	BRILLIANT CLASSICS
Condition	New
UPC	5028421959825
SKU	al-5028421959825

1.1 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Allegro non troppo in C C.106
1.2 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Andante Sostenuto in F C.107
1.3 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Rondo a la Turca in F C.108
1.4 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Molto Allegro in F C.109
1.5 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~The Empress of Russia's Favourite Air with Variations in C C.110
1.6 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Pollaca in F C.111
1.7 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Allegro Vivace in B flat C.112
1.8 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~In the Dead of the Night, A Favourite English Song with Variations in G C.113
1.9 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Oak Stick, A Scotch Reel Arranged as a Rondo in B flat C.114
1.10 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Con Spirito in G C.115
1.11 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~Romanella in G minor C.116
1.12 12 Progressive Lessons Op. 32~La Retreta, an Original Spanish quick March arranged as a Rondo in G C.117
1.13 Six Sonatinas for the Piano Forte Op. 20~Sonatina No. 1 in G C.88
1.14 Six Sonatinas for the Piano Forte Op. 20~Sonatina No. 2 in C C.89
1.15 Six Sonatinas for the Piano Forte Op. 20~Sonatina No. 3 in F C.90
1.16 Six Sonatinas for the Piano Forte Op. 20~Sonatina No. 4 in A C.91
1.17 Six Sonatinas for the Piano Forte Op. 20~Sonatina No. 5 in C C.92
1.18 Six Sonatinas for the Piano Forte Op. 20~Sonatina No. 6 in E flat C.93