Piano Sonata in F# Minor is a beautiful and varied classical sonata composed by Andrew Diggle and Katarzyna Kempińska. It was performed live for the recording by Xuanxin Chen at The Royal College of Music in South Kensington, London in January 2025. The piece was the Platinum prize winner at the Saint-Saëns International Music Competition earlier this year and there is a very impressive YouTube video of the recording session with the Sonata performed in its entirety.

The three-movement sonata is reflective of a number of musical styles and eras with diverse passages that flow together seamlessly. Sometimes playful and often more serious, Mr. Chen's performance is flawless, dynamic and very expressive.

The three movements are:

"I. Allegretto": a lively multi-themed movement that feels very much like musical story-telling with passages that are more delicate and some that are very dynamic and dramatic.

"II. Rondo Andante": The second movement begins with a passage that makes me think of some of Mozart's light-hearted piano pieces. The second theme becomes darker and more powerful (a bit of Chopin's influence?) and then returns to the lighter mood.

"III. Scherzo": The third movement is probably the most "modern" of the three. "Scherzo" translates as "joke" and this movement is bright, vibrant, and very good-humored with a variety of themes and styles.

Proceeds from the sale of the recording from the Bogus Breakfast website will be donated to Muscular Dystrophy UK in memory of Andrew Diggle's former composing and performing partner, Richard Friswell who passed away from the disease in 2017. The sheet music for the Sonata will be released very soon and will also be reviewed here on MainlyPiano.com. I had the pleasure of proof-reading this magnificent piece of music and am anxious to share it!

In addition to the YouTube video, Piano Sonata in F# Minor can be streamed on Spotify and Pandora. Very highly recommended!