Best known as the conductor for the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein was also a talented composer as this sonata proves.
In this piece, the theme explores modern tonalities, but there's always a statement; the composer avoids gimmicks and as a result he gives us a strong, memorable sontata. What stands out is the sheer beauty of the full sound the accompaniment adds to the melodic lines. Bernstein had a great sense of melody (note also his compositions for the musical West Side Story).