by Arthur Alexander
Schumann's Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor occupied the composer about eight years. The second movement was written in June, 1830, the first and third in June, 1833, the fourth in its original form in 1835, then it was revised and completed in 1838, the whole sonata being published in 1839. It is often said that Schumann failed when writing in the larger and more extended musical forms. On the whole, this is probably true, but one of his most successful works is undoubtedly the G minor Piano Sonata, which is not only well written from a pianistic point of view but shows a wealth of invention and considerable imagination in the working out of the thematic material.