Sonata for piano four hands no. 2 in F minor op. 22

In 1824, Onslow returned to the piano four-hands form, in which he had distinguished himself with his Sonata in E minor, Op. 7. Dedicated to “Monsieur Jacques Herz”, the pianist and brother of Henri Herz, his second essay in the genre goes one stage further on the expressive level. It also underwent numerous editions and enjoyed a real success, perhaps greater than that of the Op. 7 Sonata (and around 1870, Henselt also transcribed the work for two pianos). Its spacious and impetuous Allegro moderato patetico begins with waves of semiquavers moving by semitones, to which are joined anguished appeals. Graceful descending arpeggios appear by way of a second subject; this is followed by a more animated and lively passage. The development section firstly explores the second subject, next the first; a powerful build-up heralds the arrival of the recapitulation. As sometimes is the case in Onslow’s music a final development section emerges; here it is devoted to the first subject. Its Schubertian beauty does not inhibit the Minuetto from referring, by the flair of its writing, to the Baroque style. More calmly, the Trio episode releases and exudes a tender longing. The Beethovenian Largo, with grand and impressive chords and with dotted rhythms, contains modulations astonishing in their audacity. The Largo is followed by the Finale, Allegro espressivo, in which a restless motif seems to be searching for an outcome, upon repeated chords. A transition passage leads in to the second subject, in flowing semiquavers. After a reminder of first subject in the major key, the development section endeavours to transpose it into different keys, before giving itself over to the second subject. Following the recapitulation, a brisker coda serves as a peroration to the whole score.