This sonata by Alban Berg is a product of Arnold Schoenberg's teachings and is, indeed, a musical reflection of the Schoenberg of 1907-1908. At this time the musical thought of Schoenberg himself was in a state of metamorphosis, developing from the chromaticism of the late Romantic composers toward the twelve-tone technique which he was to formulate a few years later. The sonata, as a whole and above all, reflects the growth of an important composer, one who is perhaps the most important link between the traditional Classical and Romantic schools and the modern schools. His growth was based on a thorough knowledge of traditional styles and techniques, vestiges of which are seen in the formal design, chromaticism, and evasive harmony of the work. His advance is seen in his peculiar use of polyphony and motivic variation. Compared with many other works for piano, Berg's sonata is perhaps not among the most celebrated. But as indication of the attitude of a great composer who wished to build upon rather than break with his heritage, it is a most significant work.

Analyzes music of Ravel, Debussy, Schoenberg, Webern, Milhaud, Bozza, Francaix, Poulenc, Cowell and Riegger.

It now seems necessary to follow the further development of Schoenberg and his first pupils, Berg and Webern. "Starting from their twin conceptions of the dethronement of tonality and the free use of the former 'discords', they produced a series of pieces of which the foremost characteristics were their extreme expressiveness and their extraordinary brevity."