6 Sonatas Depicting Stories from the Bible: Sonata No. 4 Cover Image

6 Sonatas Depicting Stories from the Bible: Sonata No. 4: Piano Solo

$11.95 USD
$11.95 USD
Skip to product information
6 Sonatas Depicting Stories from the Bible: Sonata No. 4 Cover Image
6 Sonatas Depicting Stories from the Bible: Sonata No. 4: Piano Solo

6 Sonatas Depicting Stories from the Bible: Sonata No. 4: Piano Solo

By Johann Kuhnau / ed. Lother Hoffman-Erbrecht

Item: 98-EP4840D
$11.95
Shipped

One moment…

Description
The fourth volume of Johann Kuhnau's Biblical Sonatas: "Hezekiah restored to health", edited by Lothar Hoffman-Erbrecht. These sonatas are considered Kuhnau's most well known works.

6 Sonatas Depicting Stories from the Bible: Sonata No. 4: Piano Solo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

No sample pages found.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Edition Peters
Publisher: Edition Peters
Page Count: 8
ISBN10: 0-01-403296-1
ISBN13: 979-0-01-403296-8
UPC: 0
SKU: 98-EP4840D

More about this title

About the Composer: Johann Kuhnau

Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722) was a German composer and organist who served as cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, a position later held by J.S. Bach. He was a pioneer of keyboard music in northern Europe and among the first to explore narrative and pictorial elements in instrumental composition.

Kuhnau's Biblical Sonatas stand as some of the earliest examples of program music in the keyboard repertoire. Written in the late 17th century, these works demonstrate sophisticated harmonic language and dramatic pacing that allowed instrumental music to convey biblical narratives without words. His contributions to keyboard technique and form influenced the development of the keyboard sonata throughout the Baroque and early Classical periods.

Why we love this

This sonata offers pianists a rare glimpse into early program music, where narrative clarity drives compositional choices rather than abstract formal structures. The piece communicates its biblical story through musical gesture and harmonic language that remains engaging and coherent across its eight pages, making it a compelling choice for recitals that explore music beyond the standard Classical-Romantic canon.

What to expect

The sonata unfolds with the earnestness of a sacred narrative, moving between moments of distress and restoration. Kuhnau's harmonic language carries emotional weight through chromaticism and unexpected key relationships, while rhythmic patterns and figurations suggest the unfolding of events rather than abstract musical development.

Who it's for

Intermediate to advanced pianists seeking to expand beyond standard repertoire and explore early keyboard music with genuine historical significance. Teachers looking to introduce students to Baroque compositional thinking and program music will find this work accessible yet substantial enough to reward serious study.

How to get the most out of it

  • Attend carefully to Kuhnau's figured bass realizations and harmonic progressions; the harmonic language carries much of the emotional narrative, so clarity in voicing will enhance the story's dramatic arc.
  • Balance the ornamentation and runs with structural clarity. Baroque keyboard writing often layers embellishment over a strong harmonic foundation; resist the temptation to rush decorative passages at the expense of harmonic support.
  • Consider the dramatic pacing of the whole piece. Since this sonata depicts a story (Hezekiah's healing), trace the emotional journey from crisis through recovery, using tempo and dynamics to shape the narrative rather than treating sections as independent movements.

How to use it

Program this as part of a recital exploring the keyboard sonata across centuries, pairing it with later Classical and Romantic sonatas to show how the form evolved. It also works beautifully in educational contexts where you're teaching music history or demonstrating early program music to students encountering these concepts for the first time.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and interpreting Baroque keyboard notation and figured bass realizations
  • Understanding narrative and pictorial elements in instrumental music
  • Balancing ornamentation with structural clarity in Baroque style
  • Recognizing harmonic language as a vehicle for emotional expression
  • Performing early keyboard music with historically informed phrasing

You May Also Like