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Sonata
in A Minor
"Per Arpeggione"
(1824)
arranged for Viola and piano
Full Score
Franz Schubert
Sonata in A Minor Per Arpeggione
The Guitarre damour was invented in 1821 by Johann Georg Stauffer (1778-1853). About the
size of a cello, this instrument had a fretted fingerboard and six strings, tuned the same as the
guitar (E A D G B E). It later became known as the Arpeggione, because of its facility with
guitar-like arpeggiations.
Due to a number of technical problems, the Arpeggione never became popular, and suffered a
rapid obsolescence. Its guitar-shaped body made it awkward to hold, and it was difficult to play
loudly on a single string because of the low curvature imposed by its many strings. In fact, the
sonata presented here is probably the only significant work written specifically for this unusual
instrument.
Schubert wrote this piece in 1824, and the care taken to suit the music to the instrument is quite
apparent. It can be noted that rarely are dynamics stronger than p indicated, especially in fast
passages. He made good use of the instruments arpeggiating abilities, and wrote the music to
show off the arpegionnes extensive range.
The fact that the music has outlived the instrument by some two centuries is a tribute to
Schuberts genius for memorable melodies. It is sometimes used as a showpiece by exceptional
cello players, as only the most capable virtuosi can reach the impossibly high places. Even on
viola the higher ranges are difficult, and the lower registers (below open C) are of course
impossible.
Nonetheless, the piece lends itself ideally to the tonality of the viola. In this arrangement, I have
relied heavily on the assistance of Jean-Pierre Coulon. The low ranges had to be re-octavised to
fall within the range of the viola. For the high parts, I have opted to re-octavise a few passages
to make the piece more accessible to amateur and semi-professional players. The octave on the
A string was taken as the practical limit.
Regarding bowings - Schuberts bowings for the arpeggione are of course of limited use, but do
give an idea of the phrasing. Since I am not myself a violist, I have deferred to the bowings
offered in the edition by Paul Doktor. Still, the player is encouraged to take these with a grain of
salt, and to work out for him- or herself bowings and phrasing that are appropriate to ones
individual style and capacities. Similarly, the dynamics indications are best taken as suggested
starting points. As implied earlier, had the piece been written for other bowed instruments, it
would have probably had a lot more mf, f, and ff markings.
Tempo indications in the original are sketchy, and in several places ambiguous. The markings
shown (and reflected in the demo midi file) are my own interpretation, largely influenced by a
wonderful midi created by John Cowles.
A note on the passage starting at bar 330, and similar passages later in the piece. The
recommended way to play this is to double-stop the C and G strings, playing the A on the Gstring as a drone. This gives an interesting fiddle effect and is easier than negotiating the
shifts if the section is played on adjacent strings in 3rd position.
Special thanks to Werner Icking of GMD for his encouragement, and to Jean-Pierre Coulon for
his welcome collaboration.
Fred Nachbaur, January 1999
Allegro moderato
Viola
Piano - right
Piano - left
11
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
pp
Allegro moderato
decresc.
mf
pp
Allegro moderato
(p)
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
16
cresc.
(Adagio)
legato
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
Arranged for Viola by Fred Nachbaur & Jean-Pierre Coulon, Rev. 2b, Jan. 2000
Free (non-commercial) distribution encouraged. No warranty provided.
fp
fp
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
21
pp
cresc.
25
pp
34
fz
cresc.
f
p
tr
fz
cresc.
mf
decresc.
(mf)
pp
cresc.
pp
29
cresc.
decresc.
38
(ritard.)
decresc.
41
44
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
tr
p
f
decresc.
(a tempo)
47
pp
cresc.
(a tempo)
cresc.
ritard.
pp
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
51
cresc.
3
decresc.
cresc.
pp
decresc.
pp
decresc.
54
cresc.
57
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
60
decresc.
decresc.
decresc.
64
tr
cresc.
68
tr
72
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
fz
fz
decresc.
cresc.
[Pizz.]
(poco rit.)
(Pizz.)
(poco rit.)
fz
cresc.
p
Arco
2.
decresc.
1.
78
decresc.
cresc.
83
(a tempo)
91
(a tempo)
pp
cresc.
decresc.
3
cresc.
fp
(poco rit.)
fp
cresc.
cresc.
(poco rit.)
94
88
f
cresc.
cresc.
pp
pp
cresc.
cresc.
fz
fz
97
102
(a tempo)
105
pp
pp
cresc.
108
mf
mf
(a tempo)
cresc.
(poco a poco)
112
mf
cresc.
cresc.
115
ff
cresc.
120
ff
decresc.
(a tempo)
mf
a tempo
pp
fp
3
cresc.
126
(ritard.)
ffz
ffz
cresc.
decresc.
(ritard.)
fp
131
cresc.
fp decresc.
140
decresc.
143
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
pp
pp
cresc.
136
fp
decresc.
pp
pp
cresc.
cresc.
10
147
(Arco)
decresc.
(a tempo)
159
pp
pp
tr
pp
(poco accel.)
decresc.
decresc.
decresc.
ritard.
decresc.
(ritard.)
ritard.
cresc.
(poco accel.)
cresc.
(ritard.)
pp
(a tempo)
155
decresc.
pp
decresc.
151
11
162
165
cresc.
171
tr
cresc.
decresc.
dim.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
167
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
3
12
174
177
cresc.
180
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
fp
tr
decresc.
fp
tr
decresc.
3
cresc.
184
mf
decresc.
f
cresc.
decresc.
f
decresc.
13
188
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
pp
3
3
decresc.
ff
decresc
dim.
dim.
decresc.
dim.
203
cresc.
pp
decresc.
197
decresc.
cresc.
192
(rit.)
cresc.
(rit.)
ff
14
legato
pp
214
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
3
mf
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
pp
decresc.
mf
decresc.
pp
pp
mf
pp
decresc.
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
226
decresc.
220
Adagio (mm=60)
Adagio (mm=60)
207
15
cresc.
239
decresc.
decresc.
fp
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
3
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
fp
cresc.
pp
decresc.
decresc.
244
249
233
fp
decresc.
decresc.
fz
16
254
3
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
274
"!
pp
decresc.
(accel.)
268
decresc.
260
pp
rit.
Allegretto (mm=105)
#
p
Allegretto (mm=105)
p
17
281
290
pp
cresc.
pp
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
305
decresc.
decresc.
cresc.
297
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
decresc.
18
314
cresc.
pp
330
336
(Allargando)
pp
mf
(Allargando)
!
decresc.
fz
fz
"
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
322
decresc.
cresc.
(2)
pp
pp
19
342
cresc.
mf
cresc.
mf
348
cresc.
decresc.
pp
pp
cresc.
355
361
decresc.
cresc.
pp
p
20
(poco rit)
369
fz
(
381
mf
pp
388
pp
pp
decresc.
decresc.
pp
(Allegro)
375
mf
cresc.
(poco rit)
(Allegro)
(accel.)
21
(poco accel.)
(poco rit.)
(decresc.)
413
(poco rit.)
p
(Allegretto)
421
cresc.
cresc.
(Allegretto)
(poco rit.)
(cresc.)
(poco accel.)
405
396
22
429
pp
pp
446
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
454
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
437
decresc.
pp
pp
23
462
cresc.
475
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
481
pp
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
leggiermente
cresc.
decresc.
cresc.
decresc.
pp
fz
meno mosso
p
meno mosso
fz
cresc.
cresc.
468
pp
pp
cresc.
cresc.
24
489
496
508
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
a tempo (allegro)
p
a tempo (allegro)
(2)
fp
f
decresc.
p
pp
f
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
501
ritard.
pp
25
516
cresc.
cresc.
524
531
p
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
pp
pp
p
(allargando)
(allargando)
Pizz.
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
(poco rit.)
538
(poco rit.)
decresc.
decresc.
f
decresc.
26
543
547
552
558
decresc.
decresc.
poco rit.
mf
(a tempo)
(a tempo)
Arco
mf
pp
pp
mf
mf
27
pp
571
564
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
cresc.
pp
577
584
pp
pp
cresc.
rit.
(rubato)
sf
p
cresc.
fz
28
590
mp
ritard.
mp
596
601
pp
pp
pp
pp
pp
decresc.
decresc.
609
a tempo
(meno mosso)
(meno mosso)
29
poco rit.
618
626
642
decresc.
pp
pp
decresc.
decresc.
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
634
a tempo
a tempo
ritard.
a tempo
cresc.
cresc.
decresc.
decresc.
30
649
657
p
decresc.
672
cresc.
664
decresc.
cresc.
dim.
decresc.
decresc.
pp
pp
decresc.
cresc.
cresc.
f
decresc.
mf
mf
ff
ff