Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Sonata
in A Minor
"Per Arpeggione"
(1824)
arranged for Viola and piano

Viola Part

Arrangement copyright © 1998 by Fred Nachbaur

and Jean-Pierre Coulon

All rights reserved

Free (non-commercial) distribution allowed and encouraged.

Rev. 2a, Jan. 1999. Obtained from the GMD Music Scores Archives
 Franz Schubert

Sonata in A Minor “Per Arpeggione”

The “Guitarre d’amour” was invented in 1821 by Johann Georg Stauffer (1778-1853). About the
size of a ‘cello, this instrument had a fretted fingerboard and six strings, tuned the same as the
guitar (E A D G B E). It later became known as the “Arpeggione,” because of its facility with
guitar-like arpeggiations.

Due to a number of technical problems, the Arpeggione never became popular, and suffered a
rapid obsolescence. Its guitar-shaped body made it awkward to hold, and it was difficult to play
loudly on a single string because of the low curvature imposed by its many strings. In fact, the
sonata presented here is probably the only significant work written specifically for this unusual
instrument.

Schubert wrote this piece in 1824, and the care taken to suit the music to the instrument is quite
apparent. It can be noted that rarely are dynamics stronger than “p” indicated, especially in fast
passages. He made good use of the instrument’s arpeggiating abilities, and wrote the music to
show off the arpegionne’s extensive range.

The fact that the music has outlived the instrument by some two centuries is a tribute to
Schubert’s genius for memorable melodies. It is sometimes used as a showpiece by exceptional
‘cello players, as only the most capable virtuosi can reach the impossibly high places. Even on
viola the higher ranges are difficult, and the lower registers (below open C) are of course
impossible.

Nonetheless, the piece lends itself ideally to the tonality of the viola. In this arrangement, I have
relied heavily on the assistance of Jean-Pierre Coulon. The low ranges had to be re-octavised to
fall within the range of the viola. For the high parts, I have opted to re-octavise a few passages
to make the piece more accessible to amateur and semi-professional players. The octave on the
A string was taken as the practical limit.

Regarding bowings - Schubert’s bowings for the arpeggione are of course of limited use, but do
give an idea of the phrasing. Since I am not myself a violist, I have deferred to the bowings
offered in the edition by Paul Doktor. Still, the player is encouraged to take these with a grain of
salt, and to work out for him- or herself bowings and phrasing that are appropriate to one’s
individual style and capacities. Similarly, the dynamics indications are best taken as suggested
starting points. As implied earlier, had the piece been written for other bowed instruments, it
would have probably had a lot more mf, f, and ff markings.

Tempo indications in the original are sketchy, and in several places ambiguous. The markings
shown (and reflected in the demo midi file) are my own interpretation, largely influenced by a
wonderful midi created by John Cowles.

A note on the passage starting at bar 330, and similar passages later in the piece. The
recommended way to play this is to double-stop the C and G strings, playing the A on the G-
string as a “drone.” This gives an interesting “fiddle” effect and is easier than negotiating the
shifts if the section is played on adjacent strings in 3rd position.

Special thanks to Werner Icking of GMD for his encouragement, and to Jean-Pierre Coulon for
his welcome collaboration.

Fred Nachbaur, January 1999

 Sonata "Per Arpeggione" in A Minor
Franz Schubert (1824)

l [9] uj k kz kz kz k z ks k z ks j okkk
Allegro moderato
Viola
c 44 C kz k
t j
mf

kz k k fk k k
14
k dk ek k k dk k k k k o k k k k fk j dk t kk k j z j k
c p kC
decresc. cresc. decresc. pp cresc.
j k k fk r kz k k k k k k dk k k k k k k k k
20
k j @
t k
c
fp decresc. cresc.

k k k k k k dk k k k k k k k k ek k k k k k k
kkkkkkkk k k k k ka
24

c k k
pp
cresc.

k k k kk i k kt Aj k k k k k k kz z
c m k n n kz k k
28

a k k k k
mf decresc.
pp f tr
j
A
k k k k k k k k jz k k k dk k k k k k k k ek k k dk k k k k k k k k k k ek k k
c j
33

k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k ek (ak ktempo)
(ritard.)
k Ak k Ak
k k k k
kkk kkk kkk k k k
38

c dk k
decresc. 3 pp

k Ak k Ak kkkkkkkkkkkkk k
c k dk k k k k k k k k k k k k k k
42

k k k k
cresc.

45
k k k z k k k kz k k k kz k k k
kkkkkkkkkkkkk k k k k z k k k kz k k k kz k k k
c kz k k k kz k
p cresc. p

dk k k k k fj z k k j tr j N N Ck u
48

k dk k k k k k kkkk j t k k kkkkkk
c p
cresc. f cresc. 3
decresc. decresc.
Arranged for Viola by Fred Nachbaur & Jean-Pierre Coulon, Rev. 2a, Jan. 1999
Free (non-commercial) distribution encouraged. No warranty provided.
2

r k k k k kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k Ak k Ak
c jz
52

k k
pp

k Ak k Ak * k k Ak kkkkkk A
kk kkk kkkkkkkk
k k k k
55

c k dk z kz k k z kz k k z kz k k z kz k k
f decresc. f decresc.

k kz kz kz kz kz k k k k k k k kt o fkt o
c k k k k k k k k fkz kz kz dkz k k k ek kz kz kz kz kz kz kz z
59

p cresc.

kz kz kz kz Ak z j s
a k kz kz k k fj
62 tr 3
k
f
t p A kk j j NN k k k k k k k jz kk
cresc. decresc.

k
fjA jj N N k k k k k k k k k k k k s kz k k c kk k kk
tr (Pizz.)
67
kk j
a k k kk k
cresc. decresc.
1.

k k l k fk
2.

J kk n kk n
+ l o k k k o fk k k o k k k k k k k
[Pizz.]

c kk n dkk n
72 (poco rit.)

kA kA p cresc.
fz

78
k kk k k okkkokkk o k k k o k fk k o k k k j i Arco

c k fk k kk
decresc. f
dk p

k k k fk k k fk
A

jz k k k k fk k
83
j r
@
kz k i k k k k k k k z dk
c t t
cresc. decresc.

89 ,k (a tempo)
k p k p k p k p k k fkz kz k dk kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz
c k fkz kz k dk kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k k k k

k A
fj A
ek
k p k p k k p k k p kz z kz
k dk k k k k z ek ek kz kz k k kz kz j
92 (poco rit.)

c
fp fp

K k k k k dk fk Aj z J k Aj z
k k k k k k dk k k k k k fk k k k k k k k s o
95

c fk k z kz k k z kz dk
f cresc. fz p
cresc.
 3

k k k Ak k k fk fk k k k Ak k k
(a tempo)
k Aj z i
k k kz kz k ek kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz
99 K J
-

c k
pp cresc. mf

k fk k k k z z k fk
k p k p k p k p k fk k k ek kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k p k p k fk p k ek p
104

c
pp

fi i ei i r k k jz kz k
a ej
107

c
cresc. mf

113
jz k k k k jz kz k jz kkkk k kkkkk kkkk i i
a
f ffz decresc.
cresc. ff cresc.

z z kz kz kz k i
119
j j j j j k z dks i z
kk dk
k dkz kz 3 3 fp
3
a c
p cresc.
k (ritard.) Ak z s Ak z s ok k k
(a tempo)
125
k dkz ekz kz kz J .

j
K
kz k j k kz kz kz k k j
c t t
decresc. mf

k kz k k
130
k dk ek k k dk k k k k o k k k fk j dk t k k k k fk k j z
c k
cresc. decresc.
A
pp
j k k fk k k k k k dk k Ak k k k Ak k k
135
j K
k fk k k k j r k z kt
@
/

k
c
cresc. fp decresc. p

l k k Ak k dk dk dkA k k ek Ak k k l
c k mz n k mz
140

dk
pp

dkA k Ak k Ak k Ak k o dkdk o kk k kk k k kz kz i k (ritard.)

k
(Pizz.) (Arco)
K J K J

o kk
K J

n okk k tt m
146

c k k k
cresc.
t t t t decresc. pp f

j kkk Aj z kk
dk k k k tr
j j kkkkkkkk
k m
151
0

c dk dk dN N
cresc. decresc.
 4

fk k k k k k k k k k
(poco accel.)
155 k k k k
dk k k k dk k dk k
dk dk dk k dk k dk dk k dk k
k
ritard.

c
p decresc.

k dk k k k k k k k k k k k k k k dk Ak k Ak
dk gk k k k k k k k k k k k k k k
(a tempo)
159
dk p k p
c
pp

k Ak k Ak k dk k k dk k k k k k k k dk dk k dk k z k k k kz k k k dkz k k k
k k p k k dkz k
c p
162

cresc. p

k dk k k dk k k k k k k k dk k k dk k z k k k kz k k k dkz k k k
k k dkz k
165

c
cresc. p

167

c dk dk k k k dk k k k dk dk k k dk k k ej z kk j tr
j dN N
dj k k dk k k k k k
3
f dim. p cresc. decresc.

r
cresc.

171
jz @
dk z k dk p Ak k p Ak
c k dk kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k dk
p

174
kpk dk p k J k k p Ak k dk k k dk dk
kk
c dk gk kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz dk k
f

dk Ak k k k dk dk k k dk dk k k dk k k dk k z kz Akz kz
dk p k k ek dk k z z z z dk k
177

c k k kz dkz kz z kz kz kz z z A kz kz z
p

180

k
a kz z zk dkz kz z
kkAz dkz k u
A
ek c
tk dkz dkz kz kz dkz kz Ak z k k ej k k j tr d j
t
dN N j
decresc. p

r
cresc. f

184

c
k k dk k k k k k jz @ dk z k k
ej kk j
tr
j dN N
dj k k dk dk k k k
3
cresc. decresc. fp decresc.

r
cresc. decresc.

dk z k
K k z ek k k n dk z k k k n ek j
(rit.)

k m
189

k
c dk k dk k k a kz kkkk
p cresc. decresc.
 5

kkkk k k n k k k k n k k k ek j kkkk
194

a j cn dk k j m
pp
cresc. decresc.

kk k k i
l k kt o k kt o k kt o a
199
m k j
t
3
c j k
kk 3
dim. f decresc. p
decresc.
i k y
k kk mz 34 dddd l l
205

c n dkk n
Adagio (mm=60)
a k
ff

k k k C dk k k k k
t
210
dddd l k k k jz j NNNk k k k jz
c
p cresc. decresc. cresc. decresc.

Ck Ck kC k ek k j k k ek ek jz Ck Ck Ck k ek k j
t
218
dddd j z
c 3 3
cresc. decresc. pp

225
dddd e k e k k kt k z k k dk
t dk
L
C
k k k jz k k Ck j NNN k C
k k k
c
pp cresc. decresc. 3 decresc.
mf cresc. mf p

232
dddd j z jz k z dk dk k dk dk k k k u
dj z jz j kk
c t dk
cresc. f decresc. p pp cresc.

dddd k k k k k z dk e Ak zz ks k e k zz ks k
t t
jz
t
dj z
239

c ek k k k k dk
t p
decresc. M cresc. fp decresc.

246
dddd k k k k k kz k k k jz s t

k zz ks e k
t

c kk 3 ek k k k zz k e k jz
fp
decresc. p cresc. decresc.
cresc.

dddd k kz k k H kz k e jz
k k dk
u
253

kkk jz jz e jz
c k k ek 3 p
p cresc. decresc. N

dddd j z k k k ek ek e jzt

jz jz e jz
t t
p p
260

c jz jz
pp
 6

dddd ej z jz jz k k k ek
ek zz ks j z
u

k H
t t
p ek p jz
268

c
k
ddd d k k k k k k k k k k k k k ek kz kz ekz kz dkz ekz k 2 Allegretto
ddd k z ks
(accel.) rit. 3
275

dk e Ak z ks kA z kt
c kk 4
p

ddd Ak z k Ak z dk Ak z k Ak z k
k k k NO ks k z ks kA z ks Ak z ks kA z tk
282

c t t t t
291
ddd Ak z k Ak z k k dk k NO k j J
O
ek z
dks
ek z k k k k ek
k j
kz k
c t t t t
cresc. pp (2nd time louder)
cresc. decresc.
C
ddd k z dk k k k k Ak z k ek Ak z kt Ak z k k Ak z kt Ak z kt
j k z kt j
300

c t p
cresc. decresc. cresc. decresc. decr.

ddd k k k k k z ek k z dk k k k k J k k k NP ks
k z ks k z ks k z kt k z kt
310

k j
(2)

c t
cresc. p
decresc.

320
ddd k z ks k k k NP ks P
k z kt k k k N ks k z ks k k k NP ks j j j
c
pp cresc.

z z z z Ak z k
(ossia: play "a" on g-string as "drone")
329
ddd kt o n P
eee f n z ks
(Allargando)
k ik k k k k k kkk kk kkkkkkkk
c k k k k t
fz
kk
mf

ek z
k t k dk k ek k k k ek k k tt
k k k k k k k k k k k k kz kz k k dk
|

k k
335

f
t

c i
k k k k
decresc.

dk kz ekz kz kz kz ekz kz k z k k k k k kz kz kz kz Ak z k
341
s k k k k k k k k k k
cf k ik k k k k t
pp cresc.
mf

k k k k k k k kz k k k k z z kz fk k kz kz
c f k ik k k k k k k k k k k kkk kk k ek k k
347

t
p cresc. decresc. pp
 7

k z k fk k kz z z kz fk k kz kz k z k fk k z z Q
354
k k k k k k k ek kz kz k z ks
k
cf t ek kz fkz k z
t
ek t
p

k z z Ak z z A
361
k z s k z ks k k k k k k k k z s Ak z s k
c f k k k t k k kz kz kA k kz kz

z z z z
(Allegro)
zzzz
k ik k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k
(poco rit)

k kz z kz k k (accel.)

c f kAz kz kz ekz dkz kz kz z k kz ek dk

369

k k k k
k k kz kz k k dku k k z ku dk k ek k k k k k
cresc. mf

374
kz k k ik k k k k k kkk kk
c f t k k k k t
decresc.

k k dk kz ekz kz kz kz z kz
k A
k z A
k z k k k kz kz k k kz kz Ak z Ak z s
k t k z s s s s
380

cf t k k k t k k
pp p

ek k kz kz Ak z Ak z ej
k Ak z s Ak z s eks k k kz kz k k
389

c f t k k kz kz k k
kA z zk k k t t
pp

k H k k dk ek kz kz ekz kz kz kz k|
(molto rit) (poco accel.)

a ej k dk dk j kz s kz s kz s
398

cf t k k k
(cresc.) (decresc.)

ek
k k k dk k dk dk k ek k dk e ddd k z ks
(poco rit.)
k
(poco rit.)
l k z s k z s ej
407 (Allegretto)

cf k k k
p

ddd Ak z ks Ak z k Ak z dk Ak z k
kA z kt k k k ON ks k z ks kA z ks Ak z ks
416

c t t t
425
ddd k z k Ak z k Ak z k Ak z k k dk k NO k j ek z s ek z k k k k ek
c A t t t t dk k j
t cresc. pp cresc. decresc.

ddd k z k k z dk k k k k Ak z k ek Ak z kt Ak z k k Ak z kt Ak z Ck
j t k z kt
435

c t t
cresc. decresc. cresc. decr.
 8

ddd j s k k z k z ek k z dk k k k k k
kkkk k z s z k
445

c kz k k k t t cresc. t
k j
p
decresc. decresc.

455
ddd k k k NP ks k z ks k k k NP ks P
k z kt k k k N ks k z ks k k k NP ks j j
c
p pp cresc.

dd kon 5 n z kJ k
meno mosso
Ak z k
kkkk
Ak z k
k k k k k k z kJ k
Ak z k
kkkk
cd j
464

t
J AkJ k
fz p pp p

ddd Ak k k I z k k k k k k Ak k k dk k k k k k k k k k
k k k k dk k k k
472

a t t ck k k k

AkJ k Jk
pp cresc. decresc. cresc. decresc.

k k k C K k k k k dk Ck
ddd k k k k Ck dk k C
k k k kz k ek dk dk
478
kkk C k k ks
c k k k
decresc.
leggiermente cresc.

k k k dk k k k k k k k k j k H ek k
rit. A
485
ddd dj j ej
t
j k ek
c
p pp cresc. f decresc.

494
ddd J 6J Ak z k k k k
a tempo (allegro)
Ak z k k k k k k p k k p k k p NO k dk p J k k kz kz dk k kz kz
(2)

c k k t t
p cresc. fp
k
500
ddd k k kz kz dk k kz kz k k kz kz dk k kz kz k k dkz kz k k k k k kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k k kz kz k
c z kz
f
cresc. decr.
k
506
ddd k k k k dk k k k k k k k H k dk J k k k k k dk k k k k k k k k k k
c f
p
cresc. decresc. pp
A
ddd k k k gk k k dk k dk k k k k k k k k k k j dk n ej
dk n k k
514

c f p
pp
cresc. cresc.

7 o kz ekz ekz z kz ekz kz kz kz kz ekz kz dkz kz dkz

decresc.

k
(allargando)
ddd k k k H k dk
(poco rit.)
k n o o o o
523 Pizz.

c
decresc. p
 zk ekz ekz
9

z z z z z z z z
531
ddd o ekz kz ek okz kz dk
okz kz ek
okz ekz k o ekz k k
o kz kz ek
o kz kz k
c kz
z ekz z z z z z
539
ddd kz k kz kz k kz ekz k z kz kz dk z ekz kz ek kz kz dkz kz kz ekz kz ekz kz k
c kz kz kz dk ek kz kz
z z poco rit. V ku i k k k k k zzzz
ddd kz ekz kz k z kz kz ek z kz kz kz eee k kkk kk kkkkkkkk
(a tempo)
547 Arco

c k k k k k k
mf

Ak z k
k k k k k k k k k k k k k k kz kz u tk k dk dk k z k dk k ek k k k dk k
553
t ik k k k t
c
decresc.
zzzz A
559
k k dk k ekz k kz kz dkz kz k z kt
k z z ku i k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k z kt
c t k k k k
pp mf

k i k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k kz k k k W k ek k kz kz
k k k z ks
566

c k k k k k dk k kz z
decresc. pp
cresc.
k k kz z z kz k z k k k kz kz dk k z kz
k z kt k dk k kz ekz zk ks ek k k k kz k
dk k kz kz t
573

c t
p
Ak z Ak z k Ak z z
580
k k z z P
k k k k N k k k kz s kz s k
(rubato)

c t t k k k k kz kz k k kz kz ks kz dkz dkz kz kz kz
pp sf p
rit.
dk X a tempo
k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k kz kz kz kz k z
c kz kz kz kz kz kz dkz z ik k k
589

k k k t
mp
cresc.

594

k k k k k k k k k k k k k k kz kz k k dk k kz k
t dk k ek k k k k k k k |k
c k k k k a
decresc.

k k kz kz Ak z Ak z
600
dk kz ekz kz kz kz kz kz kz k z k z k k k kz kz k k j
a c ks ks ks t t
pp p pp pp
 10

k H k k dk k kz kz kz kz kz kz kz
k kz k
(meno mosso)
k
k dk dk j kz k
|

a j
609

c t c t t t

k
poco rit. a tempo ritard.
z yz d d a tempo
kz s kz s j k kz kz dkz k dkz dkz kz kz kz dk kt d kA z ks
618 Y

c k k z ks k k z t

dd A kA z kt Ak z k k z dk k z k k k NP ks k z ks k z dks k z kt
c d k z ks
627

t t t k ks k z
C
637
ddd k z k k z k k z ek k dk k NO ek j ek z s ek z k k k k k ek k j kz k
c t t t t dk t
pp cresc. p
cresc. decresc. decresc.

Ak z kt Ak z kt k j
647
ddd k z dk k k k k k j Ak z k ek Ak z k k
kA z kt
k z t
c f
cresc. decresc. mf cresc. decr.

ddd kt k k k Ak z
a Ak z kt
Ak z ks Ak z k Ak z k ek k z dk k k k k k k j
657 Z

c t t t
p cresc. decresc.

666
ddd k k k NO kt kz k
t
k k k NO k
t kz k
k k k NP ks k z ks k k k NP ks j
c t
p pp

j j k
ddd k k k k k n c kkk n jj
674

k k
|

c kkkkk k a kk k k ?
jj
dim. ff p