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Programme Note

Moderato marcato
Adagio sereno
Allegro

This piano Sonata was the first work I composed for solo piano since an early collection of short pieces written in the mid-twenties. It was written as a 'thank you' present for the late Noel Newton-Wood, who had given many splendid performances of my piano concerto. It was completed in 1952. The work is in three movements: the first of these starts with a stately rhythm, which recurs many times throughout the movement. The mood is of a somewhat steely brilliance, set off by a flowing lyrical section, which does duty for the classical second subject groups of a Sonata's first movement. I have marked the second movement 'slow and serene'; it is conceived in 'variation form'; it ends slowly and peacefully. The last movement is gay and lively. It presents some difficult technical problems to the player, and it closes in a fiery burst of sound.

© Sir Arthur Bliss