Diana Weston - Last Dance (2024)

This is the second in a two-part series focussing on the musical properties of the ‘square’ piano, an instrument largely unknown today, yet of great significance to a large sector of society, especially in Australia during its colonial days. To this end, the program includes works from the late eighteenth century as well as contemporary pieces that explore its particular sound qualities in different contexts. In use is an original square piano labelled Robertson of Liverpool c. 1835 by James Smith, semi-restored. Further instrumentation is provided by a Flemish reproduction harpsichord by Marc du Cornet.

The least known of Bach’s sons, his fifth, and (much) older brother to the better-known Johann Christian, is Johann Christoff Friedrich. He produced a large amount of music including choral works, symphonies, cantatas, chamber works and some pieces for keyboard in the employ of Count Wilhelm at Bückeburg. Although considerably older than his brother Johann Christian who had embraced the piano forte so whole-heartedly, Christoff Friedrich also seems to have taken naturally to the piano. His compositional style has been likened to Haydn’s and while not considered an innovator, as an ‘early adopter’ he recognized the potential of the piano, offering, in this duet, opportunities for both players to shine, some interplay between them, and dynamic variation.

His Sonata in A major for Clavier 4 hands is in two movements. The first (Allegro) is bright and breezy, each player coming and going one with the other making it companionable to play. The second movement, a rondo, (Allegretto) follows in the tradition of folk style seen in many works for piano forte, and which were adaptable as dance numbers, able to be repeated many times.

A prolific composer, well-known to the public, admired by Mozart and Haydn, Czech composer Johann Baptist Vanhal is today all but forgotten by the general public and concert go-er. Vanhal’s extensive output included church music, symphonies, and importantly for keyboard players, a large amount of piano music. Vanhal in the latter part of his life realised that the expanding middle classes who were acquiring their own piano fortes, were in need of piano music to suit. His’ Two Sonatas for four hands’ seems designed for this purpose.

The first of Two Sonatas, Sonata in F major, is structurally different from its companion. It is in the developing ‘sonata’ form, (whereas the second, in A major, is a set of variations with rondo, which can be heard in the first of this series). Sonata in F major is in three movements, the first (Allegro moderato) starts with a martial air before dissolving into a series of questioning steps and turns. The second (Adagio o Andante), is a rather serious minuet, the third (Allegro) a cheerful rondo. Together they form a satisfying whole, nicely balanced as a duo.

The Sonatas by Vanhal have been particularly revealing when looked at from the perspective of the square piano. As a duet they are ideally suited to being ‘music at home’. But within this humble model are pieces of great subtlety, one which the performer can find (and in fact is essential) within the confines and capabilities of the square. One can highlight the difference in registers, notice the many micro-articulations, observe the frequent dynamic changes – much of it in the score, but much to be found in the personality of the square.

As a young emerging composer, Beethoven was lucky enough to attract the patronage of Count von Waldstein, to whom he later dedicated in gratitude one of the greatest works of his oevre – his Piano Sonata Op. 53. These eight variations on a theme by Count Waldstein are more modest in scope, nevertheless endowed with an obvious Beethoven stamp – each varied in style and mood from the playful to the serious, the intimate nature of the variations effectively expressed with the equally personal square piano.