Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges Piano Sonata in C major

 

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745?-1799)

Sonata and Rondo in C major

Manuscript source: 

Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France

Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Musique, RES F-1080

Edited by Hyunjung Rachel Chung

The manuscript of Sonata in C major, attributed to Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745?-1799), appears in a manuscript resource that reads: "Trio // Pour la Pianoforte et Violon // Del Sig.r St. Georges. // Pour M.de La Comtesse // de Vauban" conserved at the BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France). The scanned manuscript resource contains pieces for violin and piano, for 2 violins and piano and for solo piano, most often untitled. Among these 72 movements, Sonata in C major is the only work that has a title “Sonata”. This significant resource has been made available for access on the Gallica website.

The Sonata in C major ranges from pages 207 to 212 of this manuscript document. Within these pages, the Allegro movement in C major extends from page 207 to 210.  Considering the composer's tendency to compose multi-movement sonatas and his established key pattern, the subsequent Rondo, also in C major with a C minor Minore, is perhaps intended to serve as the second movement of the Sonata. Having the same tonal center in multi movement works could be found in his opera overture from L’amant anonime, also known as Symphony No.2, Op.11 and Harpsichord Quartet in G minor, for example.

Free Resources 

Score Link on the Imslp (International Music Score Library Project).

Sonata in C major (YouTube)

Rondo in C major (YouTube)