Sonata in E flat minor op. 21

Paderewski consciously referred to the Romantics in his compositional work, as is manifest in Sonata Op. 21 in the rich array of pianistic means developed by Chopin and Liszt. Paderewski remains also faithful in this work to early Romantic aesthetic ideals, important to him was a pleasant, harmonious sound allied to a distinct formal structure. He cherished the idea of objective beauty and favoured keeping a tight rein on expression and leading a characteristic melodic line as a modified recurring musical idea.