Tis the Season for the Sonatina
by Ben Heine
Put away the Christmas tunes and pull out the sonatinas! Of course, any time is a good time for the sonatina. But I think the sonatina’s bright and crisp style offers the perfect pick me up in the dead of winter. And so it seems that most piano teacher associations focus on the sonatina in the winter and spring.
In honor of the sonatina, lets create a list of our favorites. Anyone can contribute. Don’t forget to add for whom it is best suited. The possibilities are endless!
Here are some of my personal favorites:
For the Beginner to Early Intermediate student:
Sonatina in C Major, III. Tumbling (from Lynn Freeman Olsen’s collection Beginning Sonatinas)
Circus Sonatinas by Chee-Hwa Tan (a collection of sonatinas with whimsical titles such as “Ferocious Lions”)
Silly Sonatinas (a collection sonatinas focusing on the silly)
For the Intermediate Student
anything Clementi! — but if I had to choose just one it would be Op. 36, No. 1, III. Vivace
For the Early Advanced Student
Sonatina by Bartók, 1915
3 comments
Hello! We have a local organization that is putting together its second annual sonatina competition. Here is the repertoire we selected this year (sorry for the length of the comment):
Primary — limited to ages 7 and under ~
Turk: Sonatina III. (found in the Festival Collection I)
Faber: Concert Sonatina I. Allegro (found in Goldstar 2A)
Kuffner: Miniature Sonatina – both movements
Elementary I — limited to ages 9 and under ~
Biehl: Sonatina in C, Op. 57 No. 1, Allegro
Duncombe: Sonatina in C Major
Gurlitt: Sonatina in C, I. Moderato
Elementary II — limited to ages 12 and under ~
Alexander: Miniature Sonatina (Allegro)
Attwood: Sonatina in G Major II. Minuetto (Andante)
Haslinger: Sonatina in C, I. Allegro Moderato
Intermediate I — limited to ages 16 and under ~
Andre: Sonatina in A minor, III. Rondo
Haslinger: Sonatina in C, II. Allegretto
Schmitt: Sonatina Op. 207, N. 2, I. Allegretto
Intermediate II — limited to ages 16 and under ~
Beethoven: Sonatina in F Major Anh. 5 No. 2 II. Rondo (Allegro)
Clementi: Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 3, I. Spiritoso
Dussek: Sonatina in G, Op. 20 No. 1, I. Allegro non tanto
Sonata — limited to ages 16 and under ~
Haydn: Sonata in G Major, Hob. XVI: 39, I. Allegro con brio
Beethoven: Sonata in G Major, Op. 49 No. 2, I. Allegro ma non troppo
Mozart: Sonata in C Major, K. 545, III. Rondo
Since there are so many sonatinas to choose from, it’s very difficult to create the program. I’m planning to continue to classify sonatinas so that in the future we can easily pick and choose for each level. Still finding lots of gems!
Do not see any Mozart Viennese Sonatinas!!
Hi Jill and Adrienne, Thanks for your contributions to the list. I hope many more will comment.
Jill, What is your favorite Mozart sonatina?
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