“As It Has Been Done”: Reimagining Franz Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata for the Contrabass

Science Center A155

Fifty years after his death, Franz Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata swept the popular music scene, establishing itself as a staple in the canon of solo low strings performance. Written in 1824, the Arpeggione Sonata reflects the dwindling state of a syphilis-ridden Schubert, and it stands as a portrait of the evolving social and cultural landscape of Western Europe at the time. The piece is remarkable in that it expertly straddles the transition between musical and societal eras. Furthermore, it translates exceptionally well to other low stringed instruments, namely the Contrabass (the instrument I study). In my research this summer, I created a new edition of the Arpeggione Sonata for the Contrabass. In my project, I aim to historically and culturally contextualize this piece for my instrument so as to add to a sorely needing repertoire of solo Contrabass pieces, as well as to shine light on the ability of music to reflect the culture in which it exists.