Kadosa piano sonatas

Kadosa wrote only four piano sonatas.‭ ‬They span over a very short period of time‭ (‬1926-1930‭) ‬with the exception for the fourth sonata written in‭ ‬1959-1960.‭ ‬Those pieces‭ ‬are heavily‭ ‬influenced‭ ‬by Bartók and Hindemith,‭ ‬with a marked percussive writing and a preference for linear dissonant counterpoint.‭ ‬Kadosa‭’‬ personal touch‭ ‬is heard through the singular use of popular modes,‭ ‬a peculiar treatment of piano modern technique,‭ ‬an inventive harmonic language‭ ‬on the edge‭ ‬of tonality.‭ ‬In‭ ‬terms of piano performance,‭ ‬Kadosa’s sonatas are a real challenge for the technique and‭ ‬interpretation.‭ ‬The writing is brilliant but exposes the pianist with‭ ‬huge difficulties‭ ‬in order to convey the composer’s ideas which are‭ ‬sometimes more modern than many so-called contemporary music of today.

I recorded the complete set of Kadosa sonatas. The result of this work is now available on iTunes by Taukay editions.

Or you can freely listen to all the sonatas on my Youtube channel:

Sonata n° 1, op. 7
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 1, op. 7 (I)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 1, op. 7 (II)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 1, op. 7 (III)

Sonata n° 2, op. 9
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 2, op. 9 (I)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 2, op. 9 (II)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 2, op. 9 (III)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 2, op. 9 (IV)

Sonata n° 3, op 13
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 3, op. 13

Sonata n° 4, op 54
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 4, op. 54 (I)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 4, op. 54 (II)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 4, op. 54 (III)
P. Kadosa – Sonata n° 4, op. 54 (IV)