Composer

:

Ernst von Dohnányi

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1912

Publication Date

:

1913

First Performance

:

Nov 20, 1912

Average_duration

:

12:10

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Ernst von Dohnányi's 'Pieces (3) for piano, Op. 23' is a set of three solo piano pieces composed in 1912. The work was premiered by the composer himself in Budapest on December 8, 1912. The first movement, marked Allegro, is a lively and energetic piece in sonata form. It begins with a bold and assertive theme in the right hand, which is then echoed and developed in the left hand. The middle section of the movement features a more lyrical and introspective theme, which is then transformed and combined with the opening theme in the development section. The movement concludes with a virtuosic coda that showcases the pianist's technical abilities. The second movement, marked Adagio, is a slow and expressive piece in ternary form. It begins with a hauntingly beautiful melody in the right hand, accompanied by a simple and understated left-hand accompaniment. The middle section of the movement features a more agitated and dramatic theme, which is then transformed and combined with the opening theme in the recapitulation. The movement concludes with a quiet and introspective coda that fades away into silence. The third movement, marked Allegro con fuoco, is a fiery and virtuosic piece in rondo form. It begins with a bold and assertive theme in the right hand, which is then echoed and developed in the left hand. The middle section of the movement features a more lyrical and introspective theme, which is then transformed and combined with the opening theme in the development section. The movement concludes with a dazzling and virtuosic coda that brings the work to a thrilling conclusion. Overall, 'Pieces (3) for piano, Op. 23' is a masterful work that showcases Dohnányi's skill as a composer and pianist. The work is characterized by its bold and assertive themes, its lyrical and expressive melodies, and its virtuosic and technically demanding passages. It remains a popular and frequently performed work in the solo piano repertoire.

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