Abstract:

Piano sonatas by Russian composers of turn of the XIX–XX centuries are differed with a special concentration of musical, theoretical and philosophical ideas. The article focuses on the peculiarities of the content of «Sonata Tragica» op. 39 c-moll by N.K. Metner. The main conclusions: the semantic core of the sonata includes images of inevitable fate and time, as well as lyrical and nostalgic images of memories. The content of the sonata reflects the composer´s deep experiences during the difficult period of world history after the revolution in Russia between the two world wars.

Keywords: N.K. Metner, art of the silver age, history of piano art, sonata, musical semantics.