Sonata: "David and Goliath": Piano

This sonata stands apart from typical Baroque keyboard repertoire because it fuses virtuosic figuration with genuine storytelling. A pianist working through it encounters dramatic contrasts, unexpected harmonic turns, and opportunities for genuine musical interpretation rather than merely technical display. It belongs in any collection that takes Baroque keyboard music seriously.

The piece unfolds like a musical dramatization, with moments of aggressive keyboard figuration suggesting the conflict, contrasted by passages of profound stillness. The harmonic language is bold for its era, creating tension through unexpected progressions and then resolving into passages of great dignity and repose.

Advanced pianists and harpsichordists studying Baroque keyboard literature, particularly those drawn to programmatic or narrative-based composition. It also serves advanced students preparing recitals that include sacred or historical works beyond the standard sonata canon.

• Identify the dramatic moments that correspond to the battle narrative (rapid passages suggest conflict, slower sections suggest reflection or aftermath) and shape your dynamics and tempo accordingly rather than treating the piece as purely abstract form.
• Balance ornamentation with clarity; the keyboard writing can become dense, so resist adding excessive embellishment on top of the composer's own figuration.
• Control the harmonic language in slower sections with careful voice leading and pedal awareness, as Kuhnau's unexpected modulations lose their power if transitions sound clumsy.
• Let the rhythmic energy drive forward in faster passages without rushing; these figures require precision more than speed.

Program this alongside other Baroque keyboard works to show the range of expression available within the period; it pairs well with Bach or Handel to demonstrate how composers used the keyboard for purposes beyond dance or fugal abstraction. It works effectively as a teaching recital piece that sparks conversation about program music and the relationship between text and instrumental sound.

• Interpreting programmatic content in abstract musical forms
• Managing rapid scalar and arpeggiated figures with rhythmic precision
• Negotiating unexpected harmonic progressions and chromatic passages characteristic of Baroque keyboard writing
• Balancing contrapuntal lines across the keyboard register
• Reading and performing ornamentation typical of the Baroque era