Sonata for Horn and Piano

by Richard E Brown

$26

As the title indicates, Sonata for Horn and Piano closely follows sonata forms in its 3 movements. Tonality and tonal relationships are basic to sonata form, and in this sonata, the tonal relationships within and between the movements are all based on seconds.

The first movement, Allegro moderato, is a fairly strict sonata-allegro in C minor.

The Andante tranquillo second movement is a chaconne in Db major, a Neapolitan relationship to the outer movements.

The finale, Allegro con spirito, is an abridged sonata-rondo in the home key of C minor.

There is some thematic interconnection between the three movements. The ground melody of the chaconne is a direct variation of the principal theme of the first movement, and the rondo theme is related to it as well. The episodes of the rondo are derived from the piano bridge at the beginning of the second subject of the first movement. Except for the descending fifth that begins the principal theme of each movement, most of this isn’t obvious on casual listening, but it provides the composition with a considerable degree of thematic unity.