Sonata on the 94th Psalm

The Sonata on the 94th Psalm in C minor is a sonata for solo organ by Julius Reubke, based on the text of Psalm 94. It is considered one of the pinnacles of the Romantic repertoire.

It is in three movements:

Length: c. 23 - 28 minutes

Reubke composed the sonata while he was studying piano and composition in Weimar with Franz Liszt, and living at the Altenburg house. He composed it at the same time as his other large work, the Piano Sonata in B-flat minor, and finished it in April 1857. He dedicated it to Professor Carl Riedel and played the premiere on the Ladegast organ (1853-1855) of Merseburg Cathedral on June 17, 1857.

The 94th Psalm Sonata is considered to be inspired by Liszt's Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale Ad nos, ad salutarem undam, Piano Sonata, symphonic poems and Wagner's operas. It is nonetheless a very individual work composed well for the organ, requiring very advanced pedal technique - which testifies to Reubke's much greater ability at the organ than Liszt - and a resourceful use of all the organ's departments. (Not that this is surprising, of course: Liszt was first and foremost a pianist. His transcendental forays into organ composition are demonstrative of his versatility and ability to move from one form to another.)

The 94th Psalm sonata is a symphonic poem, and the three movements are connected but formally independent. It is programme music in that the text of the psalm is used to inspire the mood of the piece. These verses accompanied the first performance:

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