Friedrich Kuhlau - 4 Sonatinas, Op. 88 (1827)

Friedrich Daniel Rudolf Kuhlau (German; Danish sometimes Frederick Kulav) (11 September 1786 – 12 March 1832) was a Danish pianist and composer during the late Classical and early Romantic periods.

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4 Sonatinas, Op. 88 (1827)

Sonatina No. 1 in C major
1. Allegro (0:00)
2. Andantino (2:31)
3. Rondo - Allegro (4:00)

Sonatina No. 2 in G major
1. Allegro assai (5:46)
2. Andante cantabile (7:53)
3. Rondo - Vivace (9:07)

Sonatina No. 3 in a minor
1. Allegro con affetto (10:40)
2. Andantino (13:42)
3. Allegro burlesca (15:12)

Sonatina No. 4 in F major
1. Allegro molto (17:12)
2. Andante con moto (19:10)
3. Alla Polacca (21:10)

Jenő Jandó, piano

Kuhlau was a central figure of the Danish Golden Age and is immortalized in Danish cultural history through his music for Elves' Hill, the first true work of Danish National Romanticism and a concealed tribute to the absolute monarchy. To this day it is his version of this melody which is the definitive arrangement. His Sonatinas for piano, together with the Clementi sets have been studied pretty much by any pianist reaching the intermediate stages in his/her studies. The 3rd Sonatina's first movement seems to refer to Beethoven's Fur Elise, but it was not published during Beethoven's (nor Kuhlau's) lifetime, only being discovered (by Ludwig Nohl) 40 years after his death. The use of Allegro "con affetto" (with affection) is enigmatic. Did Kuhlau know the little piece or was it just a coincidence?