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Beethoven - 'Moonlight' Sonata

24K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  SnakeGnim12333 
#1 ·
Beethoven's "Moonlight sonata", a name coined by German music critic Ludwig Rellstab after Beethoven's death, is one of the most widely known classical music pieces, and has been since it was composed some 200 years ago.

But let us examine it more closely and look at the facts surrounding the piece, find past and future musical connections and, of course, compare and choose the best recordings of the sonata.

Read on: detailed analysis of Beethoven's 'Moonlight' Sonata, and a comprehensive recordings review, all with audio examples.
 
#4 ·
Great work Roni22! I don't have much time know, but I've already bookmarked your blog to read it carefully in the next days (a Microeconomic Analysis exam is consuming all my resources at the moment).

About the first movement, its bass-line and upper range motiv. Do you know Edwin Fischer said the it is actually a quote from the scene in which the Comendatore dies in Don Giovanni? He made profound studies on the Beethoven sonatas and seemed very conclusive in this particular idea.
András Schiff also defends this idea, of course.
 
#5 · (Edited)
About the first movement, its bass-line and upper range motiv. Do you know Edwin Fischer said the it is actually a quote from the scene in which the Comendatore dies in Don Giovanni? He made profound studies on the Beethoven sonatas and seemed very conclusive in this particular idea.
András Schiff also defends this idea, of course.
Thanks, Manuel.

I would disagree: the Commendatore aria does indeed begin with a Phrygian progression, but unlike the opening bars of the sonata, it does not divert to the sub-dominant.

Also, the mood in the sonata is nothing like in Don Giovanni. It seems to be looking back much farther - into the Baroque era.
 
#12 ·
Here's a summary with links to the weekly introduction notes on the Guardian Unlimited Arts Blog pages:

Week 1 - The Early Sonatas (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/schiff_on_beethoven.html)
(1) Piano Sonata in F minor, opus 2 no. 1
(2) Piano Sonata in A major, opus 2 no. 2
(3) Piano Sonata in C major, opus 2 no. 3
(4) Piano Sonata in E-flat major, opus 7

Week 2 - Trio Sonatas from Op. 10 & Pathetique (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/schiff_on_beethoven_part_2.html)
(1) Piano Sonata in C minor, opus 10 no. 1
(2) Piano Sonata in F major, opus 10 no. 2
(3) Piano Sonata in D major, opus 10 no. 3
(4) Piano Sonata in C minor, "Pathétique", opus 13

Week 3 - Five Sonatas (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/schiff_on_beethoven_part_3.html)
(1) Piano Sonata in G minor, opus 49 no. 1
(2) Piano Sonata in G major, opus 49 no. 2
(3) Piano Sonata in E major, opus 14 no. 1
(4) Piano Sonata in G major, opus 14 no. 2
(5) Piano Sonata in B-flat major, opus 22

Week 4 - Working Toward "Pastoral" (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/schiff_on_beethoven_part_4.html)
(1) Piano sonata in A-flat major, opus 26
(2) Piano sonata in E-flat major, opus 27 no. 1
(3) Piano sonata in C-sharp minor, opus 27 no. 2 ('Moonlight')
(4) Piano Sonata in in D major, opus 28 ('Pastoral')

Week 5 - "Waldstein" (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/schiff_on_beethoven_part_5.html)
(1) Piano sonata in G major, opus 31 no. 1
(2) Piano sonata in D minor, opus 31 no. 2 ("Tempest")
(3) Piano sonata in E flat major, opus 31 no. 3
(4) Piano sonata in C major, opus 53 ("Waldstein")

Week 6 - "Apassionata" and others (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/12/schiff_on_beethoven_part_six.html)
(1) Piano sonata in F major, opus 54
(2) Piano sonata in F minor, opus 57 ("Apassionata")
(3) Piano sonata in F sharp major, opus 78
(4) Piano sonata in G major, opus 79 ("Cuckoo")
(5) Piano sonata in E flat, opus 81a ("Les Adieux")

Week 7 - "Hammerklavier" and others (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/12/schiff_on_beethoven_part_seven.html)
(1) Piano sonata in E minor, opus 90, no. 27
(2) Piano sonata in A major, opus 101, no. 28
(3) Piano sonata in B flat major, opus 106 ("Hammerklavier")
(4) Piano sonata in B flat major, opus 106 ("Hammerklavier") cont'd

Week 8 - The Final Works (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/12/schiff_on_beethoven_final_part.html)
(1) Piano sonata in E major, opus 109
(2) Piano sonata in A flat major, opus 110
(3) Piano sonata in C minor, opus 111
 
#18 ·
Roni,

Just want to say great site "http://classicalmusicblog.com/". I'm learning more about the music and playing of the music because of your blog (Moonlight Sonata and Paganini Violin Concerto No.1). Please continue writing more on your blog. Maybe you could tackle Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, next time. Or even Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto. =)

Regards,
Troy
 
#23 ·
Fun fact: Beethoven's moonlight sonata is op 27 no 2...which corresponds to the same number as Chopin's nocturne in d-flat major, op 27 no 2! Interestingly, chopin's op 27 no 2 is a personal favorite nocturne of some professional pianists and is considered by some to be extremely mystifying and confusingly beautiful, and it should be in the same tier of fame as op 9 no 2.
 
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