Roy Agnew: Sonata Ballade (1938)

Abstract

"The Sonata Ballade was written in January 1938, and dedicated to the composer and pianist Frank Hutchens. Agnew finished it in time to enter the Sesqui-centenary Competition run by the NSW Music Association: a competition in which he won two prizes, one for this sonata, and another for his Cradle Song. The prize included publication, and until very recently, one could purchase the score of this sonata through the office of the NSW Music Association. I still treasure such a scorp, moreover one in which some of Agnews alterations and indications were written in by Winifred Burston. Apart from being my favourite, the Sonata Ballade has very pleasant personal memories. I performed it at least twice in the presence of Mrs Agnew, who expressed approval and predicted a brilliant future for me as a musician. I dont know whether the prediction was accurate, but it was nice to hear, nevertheless. I also had the opportunity of speaking with Agnews widow, and a chance to understand something about him as a composer. As for Mrs Agnew approving my interpretation, it is perhaps not surprising: not only did Winifred Burston teach me the piece, having heard Roy play it many times, but I also had, and still have, a copy of the 78rpm recording that Agnew made for Australian Columbia. The freedom and elasticity of his playing were revelatory, though I do remember his racing through some bits to ensure that it fitted on the disc (which allowed not more than four minutes to a side, and the sonata normally lasts a trifle longer than that). The compositional technique is here further refined: we now have two themes, as in a classical sonata, and Agnew constantly develops these two ideas, using interval manipulation in a quite complex manner. The work is intensely dramatic. I recall playing it for Egon Petri, who liked it very much, and said that it sounded like a cross between Scriabin and Ireland, quite an accurate summation of the sound world of the piece." -- Larry Sitsky