Stylistic search of Ferruccio Busoni in example of his six sonatinas for piano (1910–1920)

- · 25.06.2026

Review article
DOI: 10.56620/2227-9997-2026-2-62-73

Aleksei N. Vaker

Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, Moscow, Russia,
aleksei1991v@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2011-907X
Abstract: The article is devoted to six sonatinas for piano by Ferruccio Busoni written in 1910–1920. Their examples show the evolution of the composer’s style, which was influenced by diverse stylistic trends in European music at the beginning of the XX century.
Buzoni’s stylistic search is researched through the lens of his essays, focusing on his «Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music» and an open letter to musicologist Paul Becker «Neue Klassizität» («New Classicality»). The stylistic features of the sonatinas are studied in relation to Busoni’s aesthetic beliefs, outlined in those texts.
The Sonatinas differ significantly in terms of their musical character and style. In their example we can define three main guidelines which determine the style of the late Busoni’s works. The first of them is the avant-garde line. It is associated with the complication of the harmonic language with the use of atonality and free development of form, which anticipated the further development of expressionism in music. The second line is neoclassical. It implies a dialogue with pre-romantic eras and the use of highly developed polyphony, which prepared the way for musical neoclassicism. The third line, romantic, is defined as the continuation of the XIX century romantic composers’ traditions.

Keywords: Ferruccio Busoni, Sonatina, Neoclassicism, New classicality, Absolute Music, Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music, atonality, polyphony

For citation: Vaker A. N. Stylistic search of Ferruccio Busoni in example of his six sonatinas for piano (1910–1920). Scholarly papers of Gnesin Russian Aca­demy of Music. 2026;(1):62-73. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.56620/2227-9997-2026-2-62-73
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