ABSTRACT
The most vital nineteenth-century sonata-form tradition which attempted to translate the Classical heritage into appropriate new terms centers around Schubert and Brahms. To give the argument in brief, many of the themes and theme-groups in Schubert are frankly lyrical, in closed binary or A B A designs. Schubert ’s fondness for lyrical melodies in his instrumental music has long been appreciated—not surprisingly, in view of the widespread recognition of his genius as a songwriter long before his instrumental music made much headway. Schubert also finds unorthodox means of preparing his unorthodox keys. Schubert ’s only mature first movement to establish the dominant by a clear transition emphasizing V/V is the late A-Major Sonata. Schubert’s most characteristic innovation in sonata form is a consequence of the features described. A more solid basis for criticism, partly because it reflects a more pervasive aspect of Schubert ’s style in large works, is his delay in leaving the tonic.
