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Reubke Sonata on Psalm 94

NEB

New member
I've just listened to this for the first time. All 26 minutes of it.

Blimey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone here play this? Some of it sounds fiendish. Just how difficult is it? (some things that sound difficult are actually quite straightforward - this didn't seem to fall into that category at all as far as I could hear on one listening.)

There seems to be one section about half way through where the feet completely detached themselves and were way off doing their own thing - talk about rubbing the tummy and patting the head...!
 

Soubasse

New member
'Tis a stunning work indeed, especially considering Reubke was 23 when he wrote it and then died a year later.

When I was still a fledgling organist, I page-turned/stop-pulled on at least two occasions for a performance of this work and was stunned each time, thinking it was well beyond me. I recently had a stumble through of the score at the piano and whilst there are certainly bits which are easier to play than they sound, there are others which require a great deal of technical practice. It's not difficult to see the influence of Liszt but IMO, Reubke was truly pushing the borders of 19th Century Romanticism with this work. I still find it extraordinary to think it was written in 1857 as much of it clearly anticipates tonalities that were yet to appear.

One day ... that one is on my list of pieces to learn before I die :grin:

Matt
 

NEB

New member
Thanks Matt.

That's Interesting. I don't know anything about Reubke, and listening kinda placed him as early C20th or very late C19th. Thanks for the info. Sounds like an interesting fellow to look up.
 
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