Franz Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 20 in A major, D. 959, is a monumental work of emotional extremes, composed in September 1828 as part of the legendary trilogy of his final sonatas. It is a piece that balances classical grandeur with a startlingly modern, psychological depth. The opening Allegro is heroic and expansive, defined by a bold, chordal motive that unifies the entire sonata. However, the heart of the work - and perhaps the most shocking moment in all of Schubert's output - is the Andantino. What begins as a melancholy, barcarolle-like lament suddenly erupts into a chaotic, almost improvisational central section of violent dissonance and chromatic scales, often interpreted as a musical depiction of a mental breakdown or a desperate cry against mortality.
This edition is a reissue of music originally published by Breitkopf & Hartel, Leipzig.
