Abstract

Franz Schubert’s Piano Sonata in A minor, D. 845 was written in 1825 and is considered to be one of his late works. The first movement shows Schubert’s mature and unique approach to Sonata Form while reflecting his song, dance, and orchestral writing styles. To develop an artistic and informed conception of this piece, a seasoned performer must have an approach that integrates numerous areas of music scholarship, including a stylistic comprehension of the music and its composer. One complication in interpreting this movement originates from the inconsistency between its original instrumentation—the fortepiano—and the most probable modern choice of instrumentation—the piano—as the fortepiano has unique sound capabilities that impact the work’s affekt. This research explores a pianist’s approach to D. 845, mvt. I that combines music scholarship, stylistic understanding, and conclusions from the fortepiano’s impact on D. 845 to engender an informed interpretation of the movement.