
Discover Sonatina (Mediterranean)
Piano Solo: Edition Henry Lemoine
Composition Year: 1998
Explore The Colorful Sounds Of Avi Schönfeld’s “Sonatina”.
Don’t let the “Sonatina” name fool you—this piece might spare you technical acrobatics, but it still brims with mischievous flair.
The usual sonata-style clashes step aside for dreamy Mediterranean scenes, as though glimpsing a sun-kissed Greek isle.
Don’t let the seemingly unassuming title “Sonatina” lull you into thinking it’s a breeze—though the technical demands might be gentle, the music sizzles with spirited, lighthearted character. Instead of the intense drama typical of full-blown sonatas, you’ll be whisked away to a sun-drenched Greek island, bursting with vibrant colors, balmy breezes, and that seductive Mediterranean aura.
The final movement packs a theatrical punch, unveiling bursts of passion and comedy that keep you on your toes. One moment it’s wistful, the next it brims with humor—always eager to catch you off-guard. While the composer intended all three sections to unite as one cohesive, concert-worthy work, each movement, with its own strong personality, can easily stand alone, dazzling audiences on its own merits without sacrificing any sense of form or flow.
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The Music
- The term Sonatina doesn’t here imply a short duration, but rather an undemanding technical level and playful and mostly relaxed mood of the music. The dramatic conflict between the themes typical of the sonata form is absent.
- In the first part the mood of the music itself is an impression of Mediterranean landscapes and moods –imagine a small Greek island; its colour… The third part is a tribute to the Mediterranean character in life, art and music-vivid, dynamic with a strong theatrical sense. Sometimes violent, but above all tender and full of humour.
- The Sonatina is written for concert use and is best played in its entirety. However, the autonomous character of each movement makes it possible to perform each one separately without detriment to form and musical logic.
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What do people say
Testimonials
Arthur Rubinstein
"A very promising and talented artist!"
“I was sincerely impressed with Mr. Schönfeld’s musical personality, the maturity and freshness of his conception, the clarity of his technique and sense of form and sonority.”

Alexandre Tansman

Vlado Perlemuter
"Dons exceptionnels!"
"A remarkable musician, composer and educator, his potential is particularly vast and diversified."

Henryk Szeryng
