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1. Beethoven Moonlight Sonata Op. 27 No. 2. This list of the best piano sonatas would not be complete if I did not mention the “Moonlight” Sonata. This is perhaps one of Beethoven’s famous pieces ever written, although Fur Elise might have the slight edge.
- Hammerklavier, Piano Sonata Number 29, Op 106. And finally, even though there might be some debate regarding the other sonatas, there is no debate about which one is the greatest and the most challenging.
- Appassionata, Piano Sonata Number 23, Op 57. The Appassionata Sonata is widely regarded as one of Beethoven’s signature works. Unlike the other major middle-period sonatas, this one is one of the darkest compositions he ever performed.
- Waldstein, Piano Sonata Number 21, Op 53. The Waldstein Sonata is one of the marquee compositions of Beethoven’s middle period. Composed in C Major, it is a luminous, happy, upbeat sonata with an average performance taking approximately 24 minutes.
- Les Adieux, Piano Sonata Number 26, Op 81a. Beethoven composed Les Adieux, which translates into The Farewell, between 1809 and 1810. The sonata was composed as Napoleon attacked Vienna, forcing Archduke Rudolph to leave the city.
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- Gramophone
- Mozart Piano Sonata No 11. Mitsuko Uchida pf. (Decca/Philips) 'By common consent, Mitsuko Uchida is among the leading Mozart pianists of today, and her recorded series of the piano sonatas won critical acclaim as it appeared and finally Gramophone Awards in 1989 and 1991.'
- Haydn Piano Sonata No 62, HobXVI/52. Alfred Brendel pf. (Decca) 'Brendel reserves a special boldness for the E flat major Sonata. One could imagine Beethoven relishing this performance of it.
- Beethoven Piano Sonata No 14, 'Moonlight' Murray Perahia pf. (DG) 'One of the many problems presented by the meditative opening movement is that there is no ready-made solution to the question of the speed at which the music should move, other than that which the accomplished interpreter discovers for himself, be it Ignaz Friedman in one of the earliest of all recordings (Columbia, 2/27) or Murray Perahia today.
- Schubert Piano Sonata No 21, D960. Krystian Zimerman pf. (DG) 'Every element of these two sonatas has been thought out, considered; in the hands of a lesser artist the results could have been pernickety but instead they tend towards the transcendent.'
- Pathétique. To single out just a few. The most important of the early Sonatas is the Pathétique. For the first time Beethoven uses a slow introduction, and an introduction of such weight you know something truly significant is going on.
- The Moonlight. The most famous movement of any of the 32 Piano Sonatas is the opening movement of The Moonlight – the Sonata he composed for the woman he wanted to marry, Giulietta Guicciardi [see Chapter 6, Beethoven’s Women].
- Waldstein. We already know the origin of the Waldstein from Chapter 3, The Spaniard. The gloriously spacious theme of the final movement is prefaced by a mysterious, fragmented middle movement, which presages it perfectly.
- Appassionata. Wagner’s favourite was the Appassionata. He loved playing it, and marvelled at the theme of the first movement rising from the depths. Once again, as with the Pathétique, the middle movement is simplicity itself, almost a theme on a single note.
Sep 25, 2023 · Beethoven’s piano sonatas are still very popular in 2023, and he developed a wonderful selection of 32 piano sonatas in total! Beethoven’s Sonatas are a staple of piano literature. Given the vast number of sonatas to choose from, here’s a list of some of the top 5 Beethoven piano sonatas, each varying in length, difficulty, and appeal.
Beethoven Moonlight Sonata Op. 27 No. 2. Scarlatti Piano Sonata K380 L.23. Rachmaninoff Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor. Chopin Piano Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor. Haydn Piano Sonata No. 47 in B Minor. Mozart Sonata No. 16 in C major, K545 (Sonata Facile) Prokofiev Sonata No. 7. Scriabin Piano Sonata No. 5. Liszt Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178.
Mar 22, 2024 · Valentina Lisitsa plays all three movements of the “Moonlight” sonata (Sonata No. 14). “Moonlight” is perhaps the most famous of Beethoven’s sonatas. It was another Ludwig — Ludwig Rellstab, a music critic — who likened the slow, dramatic arpeggios of the first movement to flickering moonlight.
