piano and orcherstra and also edited the piano score. Liszt was influenced by Schubert’s
piano writing and procedures in his own sonata.
Schumann’s Fantasy in C major opus 17 composed 1836 published 1839
Schumann integrates a slow section into his first movement from which, on one analysis,
is what Liszt does in his Sonata. Schumann dedicated his Fantasy to Liszt who played it
and admired it. Liszt dedicated his own sonata to Schumann.
Chopin’s Fantasy in F minor opus 49 composed and published 1841
Liszt was a friend of Chopin in Paris in the 1830s and was familiar with and admired
Chopin’s piano compositions. Chopin integrates a slow section into the first movement
sonata form of his Fantasy which, on one analysis, is the procedure that Liszt carries out
in his Sonata. The slow movement of Liszt’s ‘Grosses Konzertsolo’ of 1849, later
arranged by Liszt as his ‘Concerto Pathétique’, is Liszt’s hommage to Chopin’s slow
section of his Fantasy. At the same time each epitomises the psychological and
emotional differences between Chopin and Liszt.
Chopin’s Sonata in B minor opus 58 composed 1844 published 1845
As to the key:
Chopin’s sonata and Liszt’s sonata are each in the key of B minor and end in the tonic
major.
As to the first movement (in first movement sonata form) of Chopin’s B minor sonata
and Liszt’s B minor sonata (the whole being viewed as being in first movement sonata
form):
Each first subject is in a mood of ‘storm and stress’, and each first subject flourishes
downwards.
Chopin’s second subject and Liszt’s third subject are each in the relative major leading to
the subdominant minor and each recapitulates classically, Chopin’s subject being in a
mood of serene joy leading to regret and Liszt’s being in a mood or restless joy leading to
sorrow.
Liszt used the same procedure that Hummel and Chopin used to make a transition to the
second subject.
Chopin compressed the recapitulation in the first movement of his B minor (and B flat
minor) sonatas. Liszt followed a similar procedure, compressing the recapitulation of his
own sonata by about 20 per cent.