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Ludwig van Beethoven wrote 32 mature piano sonatas between 1795 and 1822. (He also wrote 3 juvenile sonatas at the age of 13 [1] and one unfinished sonata, WoO. 51.) Although originally not intended to be a meaningful whole, as a set they comprise one of the most important collections of works in the history of music. [2]
Mar 6, 2024 · A chronological list of the sonatas follows, along with the publication date (and composition date, if significantly earlier): Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, WoO 47, “Kurfürstensonata No. 1” (1783) Piano Sonata in F Minor, WoO 47, “Kurfürstensonata No. 2” (1783) Piano Sonata in D Major, WoO 47, “Kurfürstensonata No. 3” (1783)
- Betsy Schwarm
- 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.
Dec 17, 2023 · Beethoven’s late piano sonatas. After that, there was a gap of around four years, to 1814, before the first of Beethoven’s “late” piano sonatas, ‘Op. 90 ‘– in two concise movements ...
- Jessica Duchen
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Aug 6, 2018 · Plus, the final movement does feel like it goes on a bit too long toward the end, like Beethoven's "Strum und Drang" ran out of "Dampf." It's a good sonata to begin with after playing the "practice sonatas" nos. 19 and 20, since it requires a greater mastery of the instrument without having to devote one's life to practice.
Mar 7, 2024 · The Hammerklavier Sonata, Beethoven Opus 106, Piano Sonata Number 29 in B-flat Major, is widely regarded as one of the most challenging piano pieces of all time. One of the biggest reasons why it is so challenging is that it is significantly longer than every other piano sonata, with a typical performance lasting approximately 45 minutes.
Beethoven's 32 sonatas did not immediately take the world by storm, though some were played in public, particularly “marquee” sonatas such as the “Pathétique,” “Moonlight,” and “Appassionata,” all wonderful music. But already in the late 19th century the bulk of Beethoven's piano sonatas were neglected, even in his own Vienna.
