Schubert, Arpeggione Sonata D 821 For Viola (Henle)
$57.95
Composed in 1824 and first published posthumously in 1871, Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821 has long outlived the unusual instrument for which it was written and is now a cornerstone of the viola and piano repertoire. This Henle Urtext edition is an excellent choice for serious musicians seeking an authoritative text for advanced study, auditions, competitions, and recital performance.
Key Features:
• Schubert’s celebrated Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821
• Henle Urtext Edition for serious study and performance
• Three substantial movements requiring technical and interpretative maturity
• Ideal for advanced study, auditions, competitions, and recitals
Schubert, Arpeggione Sonata D 821 For Viola (Henle)
Few works demonstrate the ability of great music to outlive the instrument for which it was conceived quite like Franz Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata in A Minor, D. 821. Composed in 1824 for the arpeggione—a six-stringed bowed instrument that soon disappeared from regular use—the sonata was not published until 1871, decades after Schubert’s death. Today, the work survives primarily through performances on other instruments, particularly cello and viola, and has become one of the most important substantial works in the viola and piano repertoire. This Henle Urtext edition is especially well suited to musicians seeking a carefully researched musical text for serious study and performance.
The sonata unfolds across three movements of strikingly different character, from the expansive lyricism and flowing passagework of the opening Allegro moderato to the intimate Adagio and graceful final Allegretto. For the violist, its challenges extend well beyond technical accuracy: long-range phrase architecture, tonal colour, fluid shifting, precise intonation, bow distribution, vibrato, and an intimate musical partnership with the pianist are fundamental to a convincing interpretation. Frequently encountered in advanced study and professional recital repertoire, Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata rewards performers who can combine technical assurance with expressive maturity and stylistic sensitivity.
Movements:
I. Allegro moderato
II. Adagio
III. Allegretto
Key Features:
- Music by Franz Schubert
- Published by G. Henle Verlag
- Henle Urtext Edition
- Sonata in A Minor, D. 821 – “Arpeggione”
- Composed in 1824
- First published posthumously in 1871
- Originally written for arpeggione and piano
- Established today as major viola and cello recital repertoire
- Suitable for advanced students and accomplished performers
- Ideal for conservatory study, auditions, competitions, and professional recitals
Musical Benefits:
- Develops sophisticated phrase architecture and musical interpretation
- Refines shifting, intonation, bow distribution, and tonal control
- Encourages a wide palette of colour and expressive nuance
- Strengthens the sophisticated ensemble partnership required between viola and piano
