A programme uniting two sonatas from different eras offers a fascinating study in contrast and connection. The works by Schubert and Berio are not only separated by centuries but also happen to be the final sonatas published in their composers’ lifetimes. A water-themed piece serves as a bridge, connecting their distinct worlds.

Schubert’s Sonata in G major, D. 894, inhabits a poetic world of profound ambiguity, caught between smiles and melancholy. A known innovator, Schubert often challenged the traditional four-movement structure he inherited.

Centuries later, Luciano Berio also pushed the boundaries of the form in Sonata (2001), the capstone of his piano repertoire. Berio described its structure as a series of distinct blocks unified by recurring transitional elements. He likened the experience to a train journey: while the landscapes outside are ever-changing, the steady rhythm of passing pylons provides continuity, all observed from the same window.