Tragedy and Light: A Journey into Schubert’s Piano Sonata in C Minor, D. 958

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) is known for revolutionizing the art song genre, but piano music was also a substantial part of his output. His last three piano sonatas, among them the sonata in C minor, stand among his masterpieces. They were written in the last year of Schubert’s life, when he knew he was dying of syphilis. The C minor sonata was the first sonata he wrote after the Beethoven’s death in 1827, and the structure and character of the piece can largely be considered an homage to Beethoven. A brief presentation will be followed by a full performance of the sonata.