Arpeggione Sonata in A minor D821

Schubert “would have been a fool to have wasted any undue energy on this obsolete instrument,” says Alfred Einstein in his wise-after-the event discussion of the Sonata for arpeggione and piano. A cross between a guitar and a cello, its six strings tuned like the guitar but bowed like the cello, the arpeggione is certainly obsolete now. But in 1824, when the sonata was written for the Viennese instrument-maker who invented it, it was brand new. Schubert certainly put enough “energy” into the work to ensure its survival long after the demise of the instrument for which it was written. It exists in all kinds of arrangements but is most satisfactorily played on the cello or the viola. Although neither instrument has the range to match the original scoring, both are equipped to demonstrate that Schubert found the arpeggione an congenial companion who could always appreciate a good tune.

Schubert “would have been a fool to have wasted any undue energy on this obsolete instrument,” says Alfred Einstein in his wise-after-the event discussion of the Sonata for arpeggione and piano. A cross between a guitar and a cello, its six strings tuned like the guitar but bowed like the cello, the arpeggione is certainly obsolete now. But in 1824, when the sonata was written for the Viennese instrument-maker who invented it, it was brand new. Schubert certainly put enough “energy” into the work to ensure its survival long after the demise of the instrument for which it was written. It exists in all kinds of arrangement but is most satisfactorily played on the cello, in spite of the disadvantage that the top string of the cello is a fifth below that of the arpeggione.

Not long after its first entry, where it takes up takes up the main theme already introduced by the piano, the cello must climb gradually higher and higher up the arpeggione range until it reaches a cadence on top A. Exactly what arpeggione characteristic inspired the delightful country-dance second subject it is now impossible to tell, but it must have been irresistible, since there is a similarly written episode in the last movement. In extending this theme, incidentally, Schubert takes the arpeggione to the E above top C which, like the five-note pizzicato chords at the end of the exposition, is not a realistic proposition for a cello.

According to another authority, the Adagio “turns out to be little more than an introduction to the final Allegretto, into which it leads.” But it is surely too ambitious and to interesting for that, not least because of the unusual construction in two halves, the second consisting of apparently spontaneous improvisations on the string instrument against repeated chords on the piano. The Adagio does, however, lead directly into the final Allegretto - a not ineffective way of introducing a movement which, far from being perfunctory, is a fully equipped rondo with another country-dance episode neatly integrated into the structure. The work ends with a last top A and, in the arpeggione version at least, two five-note pizzicato chords.

Schubert “would have been a fool to have wasted any undue energy on this obsolete instrument,” says Alfred Einstein in his wise-after-the event discussion of the Sonata for arpeggione and piano. A cross between a guitar and a cello, its six strings tuned like the guitar but bowed like the cello, the arpeggione is certainly obsolete now but in 1824, when the sonata was written, it was brand new. It was the invention of the Viennese instrument-make J.G. Stauffer, who commissioned a sonata from Schubert in an effort to provide a repertoire for the first and only major exponent of the arpeggione, Vincenz Schuster. Schubert certainly put enough “energy” into the work to ensure its survival long after the demise of the instrument for which it was written. It exists in all kinds of arrangement but is most satisfactorily played on the cello, in spite of the disadvantage that the top string of the cello is a fifth below that of the arpeggione.

Not long after its first entry, where takes up takes up the main theme already introduced by the piano, the cello must climb gradually higher and higher up the arpeggione range until it reaches a cadence on top A. Exactly what arpeggione characteristic inspired the delightful country-dance second subject it is now impossible to tell, but it must have been irresistible, since there is a similarly written episode in the last movement. In extending this theme, incidentally, Schubert takes the arpeggione to the E above top C which, like the five-note pizzicato chords at the end of the exposition, is not a realistic proposition for a cello. There are more easily transferred passage of pizzicato at the beginning of the development which, in an allegedly unenergetic work, is surprisingly thorough and surprisingly thoughtful in places.

According to another authority, the Adagio “turns out to be little more than an introduction to the final Allegretto, into which it leads.” But it is surely too ambitious and to interesting for that - not least because of the unusual construction in two halves, the second consisting of apparently spontaneous improvisations on the string instrument against repeated chords on the piano. The Adagio does, however, lead directly into the final Allegretto, which begins at the point where a reprise of the first part of the Adagio might have been expected. It is a not ineffective way of introducing a movement which, far from being perfunctory, is a fully equipped rondo with a country-dance episode reflecting that of the first movement neatly integrated into the structure. The work ends with a last top A and, in the arpeggione version at least, two five-note pizzicato chords.