Piano Sonata in g minor (The “Classical”)

My Piano Sings

Several years ago I took took composition lessons. At one point my instructor had me write a “classical style” piano sonata. Below is the little Sonata in C (or Sonatina in C)

OK, it’s kind of cute and there are moments (my instructor raved about the second movement, which starts at about 3:25), but I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to write a large, Beethoven style sonata. A Piano Sonata, in capitals, not a little sonatina in small letters.

After I took lessons I started my own, very in depth studies. There came a time I decided I was at last ready to write that Beethoven style Piano Sonata. It is in four movements, covering most of the forms Beethoven used. I tried to be inspired by the Great Master’s music, but I did not copy one note. The last two movements are both musical jokes.

Sonata in g minor 1st Movment

Trent - Sonata in g minor 2nd Movment

Trent - Sonata in g minor 3rd Movment

Trent - Sonata in g minor 4th Movment

After I finished this I moved on to Liszt, Chopin and other Romantics. My next sonata was in a much more modern style. I’ll most likely post it some day.

I hope you enjoyed this bit of piano music.

10 thoughts on “Piano Sonata in g minor (The “Classical”)”

Crystal Byers July 3, 2020 at 3:47 pm

You have a crazy amazing talent! Wow! I didn’t get the jokes of the last two movements, but I loved your sonata all the same. Thanks for sharing.

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trentpmcd Post authorJuly 4, 2020 at 9:01 am

Thanks! Real quick – the third movement is a “scherzo”, which means little joke. It is based on the more traditional minuet, but has some twists and turns, and… a big part of it is the that it seems to get pretentious, but then turns around and says, “kidding”. The last movement takes that mock seriousness a step farther, but then has a theme that I call the “tin soldier” theme – I think of it as a windup toy with a few teeth on the gears missing some it skips and stumbles a little. So the “joke” here is that pompous little tin soldier soldier of a theme which takes itself too seriously but is actually light and fun.

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1. Crystal Byers July 4, 2020 at 10:30 am
  
  Thanks so much for the thorough tutorial. It seems I could learn a thing or to about classical music. I wouldn’t have said pompous, but I heard the light and fun part. So I get the scherzo. 😂
  
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  1. trentpmcd Post authorJuly 8, 2020 at 10:54 am
    
    Hmm, this went to spam for some reason. lol, yeah, it is “fake” pompous, but glad you heard the light and fun :)
    
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