Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Beethoven smitten

Intermediate type here, have been at it about a year after a many decades layoff.

I've been bitten by the Beethoven bug in a big way. I really believe that if I never played another composer and just spent the rest of my life exploring this great genius' work, I'd be very happy. There's more than enough material, that's for sure. Of course some of it's out of my league, but there's a lot that's accessible as well.

The thing about Beethoven is I don't get sick of him.I spent a few months learning some reasonably advanced Debussy (Claire De Lune)and the problem is that now that I can play it somewhat decently, I'm completely sick of it.

But Beethoven seems to remain ever fresh. It took me maybe 4 weeks to get Pathetique 2nd movement down pretty well, and it's now been about 3 months of steady play and I still love every note of it.

I have a question...We've got a big green book published by Warner Bro. called The Great Piano Works of L. Beethoven. There's a beautiful piece I'm working on now entitled simply Sonata OPus 7 ll. But with some help from a friend was able to find a performance on Utube under Piano Sonata Number 4 in E flat Major part 3....

Can anyone tell me something about this particular piece?

It would be very much appreciated...

Best,
CG

Wikipedia has a blurb on your sonata:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No._4_(Beethoven)

I haven't played much Beethoven, but I'm right there with you as far as listening goes.

Also, having listened to Sviatoslav Richter's performance of the third movement of that sonata, I have to say you and I have different definitions of the word "intermediate."

You might want to post this same question in the Pianist Corner Forum, where I'm sure you'll get all the info you could ever hope for.

Regards, JF

There is no intermediate Beethoven sonatas, except maybe Op.49, No.2. All others are of high pianistic calibre. Beethoven music was very well composed and thought out; thus one finds beauty in all aspects of his compositional construction. Despite my highest regards for Beethoven, my personal favorite is Schubert! Oops, sorry, Maestro Beethoven.

cardguy,

The teaching company has a course on Beethoven's Piano Sonatas.

Here is the link:
http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/CourseDescLong2.aspx?cid=7250

This might be available at your local library, or their website has this on sale right now. The professor who presents most of their music classes is highly entertaining (more so if you can get the video version, but he is still worth listening to only via the audio).

Alternately, if you are interested in older books that are no longer in copyright, you can search through www.archive.org for books about Beethoven's Sonatas. I came up with 6 books that you can download and read.

John Frank's suggestion of posting your question in the Pianists Corner is also a good one.

Rich

Hey All

Want to thank you all for your very helpful replies...Rich, I plan on ordering that course. I've had some good success with their classes in the past, usually literature, and this sounds perfect. Doesn't even require much in the way of theory, so that's a plus as I'm as uneducated as they come. But working on that.

I'm surprised to hear the rather forceful opinions regarding Beethoven's unsuitability for intermediates, at least with respect to his sonatas, but I pick and choose. Don't bother with 1st movement Pathetique for example, but dove right into the 2nd. Do I play it great? Prolly not, but so what? Just playing for myself. Try not to get too hung up on labels anyway....

Thanks again guys.

i feel the same way about Beethoven, except i cannot always play his music well enough. i've learned a few Beethoven sonatas/movements, op.49.1, 79, Moonlight mvmt 1-2, Tempest mvmt 3, and yet i have long way to go to play any of that in performance level. i'm working on getting that tempest 3rd mvmt back now. it does get easier when i re-learn it, but still it's going to take me a while to play it well.

btw, op.7 sonata is quite difficult one among his earlier sonatas.

Hey Signa, Appreciate your comments. I've heard from lots of well meaning people not to play over my head, but I just can't seem to help myself. It took me months to learn Claire de Lune, which is really too advanced for me, but now it's mine (more or less) and I learned so much along the way. I'm certain I'm much further along for having tackled it.

Bottom line for me is personal enjoyment.

Check Wikipedia (there entries for individual sonatas)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No._4_(Beethoven)

I've been working on the Op 14 No 2: It's a pure delight. Beethoven can do so much with so little, and it's always fresh and surprising.

I wonder if some of his early piano technique derived from Handel. i know he studied the WTC when he was young, but I get such a strong sense of recognition when I play any of the Handel keyboard suites after playing Beethoven. The strong outlines, bold gestures, driving rhythms, expression.