Piano Sonata No. 2

Piano Sonata No. 2, composed in 1990 as a birthday gift for the composer's wife, Irina. Written in three movements: a first movement in a form approximating classical sonata-allegro, a brief second movement intermezzo, and a third movement constructed as an invention with chorale-like sections. The Second Sonata is somewhat more lyrical and accessible than the First, though equally rigorous in its handling of thematic material. It was composed during the period following Schnittke's severe strokes, and the music carries an emotional directness that reflects this personal context.