The Unfinished Piano Sonatas of Franz Schubert Javier ... - Ethesis

Prelude
Any work of art, whether complete or incomplete, is of value. Whatever its form,
it will always embody the fruits of experimentation, the quest for hidden paths, the
discovery of latent possibilities. Although not displaying the perfection of a finished
piece, incomplete works are often extremely enlightening, revealing more clearly the
struggle, the difficulties and the development of the artist’s thinking at different stages
of the creative process. As with many other disciplines, music history is full of examples
of unfinished works. The reasons for leaving a piece of music incomplete can be various,
ranging from a loss of interest to a simple lack of time. However, in spite of their
incompleteness, these works are usually of considerable interest, especially with regard
to the greatest of the composers. The present study, intended for music-lovers and
professional musicians alike, deals with one such category: the unfinished piano
sonatas of Franz Schubert, as seen from the point of view of a performer.
My first meaningful encounter with Schubert came when, as a student in
Madrid, I was set the task of studying his G major Piano Sonata – a piece that, as it were,
lit a flame inside me that has done nothing but burn brighter ever since. At that time, I
could not have imagined how, some years later, Schubert would become such an
important composer for me. My fascination with and my love for his music and for the
extraordinary human being behind – or rather embodied in – that music has increased
with every new piece I have encountered or, as often happens, whenever I have
returned to those works already known from before. The power and universality of
Schubert’s music have proved themselves capable of crossing borders. In my own case,
this is perhaps significant, since his music differs so much from the mostly Arabian
musical heritage with which I grew up in my native Córdoba: a city of mighty caliphs,
lamenting guitars and passionate flamenco singers.
A few years later and far from Spain, in my beloved Finland, I was given the
unforeseen opportunity to embark on an extraordinary journey – one that would
involve performing in public all of Schubert’s finished sonatas. I can strongly affirm that
this has been an extraordinary experience. As in all of life’s journeys, one knows where
the journey begins but never where or how it will end. However, as this one is now
coming to an end, I can see what a great impact it has had on me, both as an artist and
as a person – supposing there is any difference between those two. In addition to
opening up so many previously hidden paths, Schubert’s life and works have brought
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