Welcome to our holiday music series! As the days grow shorter and our playlists longer, we’re embarking on a delightful musical escapade. Grab your favorite headphones (or earplugs, if Aunt Carol starts singing again), and let’s dive into some sounds that make the season bright.
Let’s start with some classical––hit.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K. 545, famously dubbed the “Sonata Facile” or “easy sonata,” is anything but straightforward for performers. This piece, while masquerading as a beginner’s practice piece, demands a profound understanding of its delicate complexities and the composer’s intentions.
It’s one thing to hit the right keys at the right moment; it’s entirely another to perform Mozart with the depth and nuance the music deserves. In this realm, Grigory Sokolov’s interpretation of the Sonata Facile shines exceptionally bright. Renowned for his commitment to live performances over studio recordings, Sokolov brings a raw, unfiltered authenticity to his music.
In this performance, Sokolov captures the innate simplicity and innocence of the Sonata, yet enriches it with a chromatic beauty that only a master could evoke. His delicate yet powerful execution showcases an outstanding control that transforms technical proficiency into a display of ease and freedom. It’s a reminder that the true challenge of this “Sonata Facile” lies not in the notes themselves, but in the expressiveness with which they are delivered.