A Study on the sonatas for piano-violin, piano-viola and piano-cello by Johannes Brahms

"Sonata" is the general name given to a work for piano solo or any instrument (e.g. violin, flute etc.) accompanied by the piano and consisting of four or sometimes three movements. The first sonatas were written in the baroque period. The classical sonata as known today has undergone gradual evolution through the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven during the classical period. The sonatas of the romantic period have comperative freedom of harmony and form while possesing larger proportions, with the object of expressing personal emotions and obtaining striking and exaggerated effects. Brahms lived between the years 1883-1897. From the point of view of form and harmony, he is a classic but regarding his rich expressive powers and intensity of sound, he is a real romantic. Brahms has written three sonatas for piano and violin. The first op. 78, no:1 which is named "Regen"; the second op.100, no:2; and the third op.108, no:3 which was dedicated to Hans Von Biilow, the well-known pianist and composer. In 1894 Brahms wrote the sonatas for piano and clarinet op. 120, no:1 and no:2, for the famous clarinettist Richard Miihifeld, making also piano-viola arrangements later on. Apart from these, the sonata for piano and cello op.38, no:1 and op.99, no:2, the one dedicated to the cellist Robert Hausmann, are among the prominent works of the composer. Because Brahms has either thrown away or burnt down all his compositions that he didn't like, together with all the sketches, the knowledge of the actual number of his works and how he composed them is very scarce. These sonatas, all of which were written at the peak of his maturity, do not only posses special value for violin, viola, clarinet and cello, but are among the most important and mature works in the history of music. VI