Schubert’s piano sonata in D major, D. 850 “Gasteiner,” was composed during August 1825 while Schubert resided in the spa town of Bad Gastein.
The first movement, Allegro Vivace, stands out for its heroic qualities among Schubert's piano sonatas. The opening, reminiscent of a fanfare, recurs throughout the piece, with majestic chords followed by repetitive eighth notes that persist as a unifying theme. While the first subject exudes restlessness and perpetual rhythms, the second subject has been likened to the sound of Austrian yodeling, characterized by dotted rhythms.
Moving to the second movement, Andante con moto, it adheres to an ABABA form. The A section presents Schubert's characteristic lyrical cantabile, marked by a flowing tempo indicated by ‘con moto.’ The B section, on the other hand, incorporates syncopations that add vigor without hurrying the pace. The melodic progression in this section, ascending in sequence, imbues the movement with a hymn-like quality, contributing to its overall purity, personal expression, spirituality, and transcendence.
The third movement, Scherzo: Allegro vivace - Trio, adopts a playful march-like character, yet the extensive use of Hemiola imparts a 3/2 pulse that permeates the 3/4 Scherzo. The call-and-response structure, where the initial four bars are answered by descending measures, continues until the Trio section. Here, lyrical repeated chords build up to a climax, marked by multiple remote modulations.
Concluding with the fourth movement, Rondo: Allegro moderato, it follows an ABACA form. The movement maintains a lively and cheerful atmosphere across all five sections, even in the minor section, without veering into seriousness. Variations on the Rondo theme characterize the A sections, while the perpetual sixteenth notes in the final A section end with a humorous twist, restating only the beginning of the theme.
Note by Seulki