Sonatine Op.34 No.1

Description

The first of the Sonatinas, Op. 34, by a composer from the André family, who ran a music publishing house in Offenbach, Germany. The set is generally attributed to Johann Anton André (1775-1842), known for buying Mozart's manuscript estate. It is a small Classical piece for learners that has been taken into teaching collections such as sonatina albums.

It is in C major, about a minute and forty seconds long, with 571 notes. The right hand has a clear melody while the left hand supports the harmony with broken chords and similar accompaniment, the typical writing of a Classical sonatina. Movement between the home key and the dominant is plain to hear, and the phrases fall into balanced, symmetrical units, so the frame of the piece is easy to follow by ear.

It is rated beginner and suits a player just starting on sonatinas. The task is to play the left-hand accompaniment lightly and evenly, never louder than the right-hand tune. The range runs from G1 to G5; the lowest note falls below a 61-key keyboard as written, but an octave shift fits every note on one. Slow the playback and check each hand's role with the hand colours, then bring it gradually back toward the original speed.

Compact piano works that teach sonata form on a smaller scale, often used as a stepping stone toward full-length sonatas.