Hamish Milne: The complete Piano sonata no. 3 in D minor Op. 49 (Weber)

Piano sonata no. 3 in D minor (Op. 49): I. Allegro feroce 00:00 II. Andante con moto 12:16 III. Rondo. Presto 20:54 Weber, Carl Maria von (1786-1826) -composer Hamish Milne -piano Score: Available for free at Description by James Zychowicz: Weber composed the Third Piano Sonata shortly after the second, and the two works are often discussed in tandem. The Third Piano Sonata is a work of smaller dimensions, containing three rather than four movements. In a sense, it returns to the classical model, and commentators have noted that the “shadow of Beethoven“ pervades the work. The first movement (Allegro feroce) opens dramatically with a motivic theme that contrasts the more lyrical and extended melody of the second theme. The antinomy between these ideas pervades the movement. It is a highly cogent piece that is remarkable for its time. If one considers Beethoven, who had just composed his Piano Sonata, op. 101, Weber’s accomplishment in his Third Piano Sonata stands out for its structural grounding in classical form and its more romantic content -- the very qualities one ascribes to Beethoven’s work at this same time. Moreover, Weber’s approach to piano writing anticipates some of the conventions that would become typical of the next generation of composers, such as those found in the works of Schumann. The second movement (Andante con moto) resembles the quasi-variation slow movement of the Second Sonata. It is a less ambitious movement than the first, but is nonetheless important in the structure of the Sonata as a whole. The Sonata ends with a Rondo (Presto) which is among his most technically demanding music. In this movement Weber combines three themes into a virtuosic Rondo. While a superficially lighter movement than the other two, Weber resolves the tonal plan of the sonata by modulating to the major mode. In terms of content, the episodes contain more varied music than some of his earlier Rondo movements, and the movement provides a satisfying conclusion to the Sonata. It is worth noting that the final movement of the Third Piano Sonata is sometimes performed by itself as “Allegro di bravura.“