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Dear forumist,

I used to play this sonata in my childhood when I took piano lessons.

Although I nowadays prefer more romantic music, I thougt of playing this piece in a school class as an example of the Vienna-Classical style

It should not be difficult, but then I unfortunately got the idea of checking the tempo by the metronome. And here are the tempi:

- first part Allegro, ma non troppo: 1/2 = 76

- second part Tempo do Menuetto: 1/4 = 104

The score is from Augener Ltd and revised by G Buonamici. Copyright 1903. I find both tempi very fast! I cant imagine I should ever had played with such a furious speed.

Unfortunately I have no recording available to compare with. Can anybody advise me?

Hate to say this, but I think those tempi are reasonable. I just checked that sonata using those metronome settings, and they are pretty good settings. If you're going to work on this sonata, start slow(er) and increase your speed gradually over time. Personally, I might take the tempos very slightly slower than the metronome marks you posted, but not by much.

Here's a recording of Daniel Barenboim playing the first movement of this sonata: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARAAoJgJK_c

Schnabel (the only edition of this Sonata that I have) gives 88 = MM 1/2 note for the first movement and 120 = MM 1/4 note for the second movement.

Richard Goode takes the first movement at about 74 = MM 1/2 note, and the second movement at 112 - MM 1/4 note in his recording of the complete Piano Sonatas (Elektra Nonesuch).

Regards,

Thank you!

The Barenboim version sounds very good and is approximately in the tempi I have imagined myself, especially the menuetto.

I just played the sonata through once after nearly 50 years. Of course I will increase the tempo gradually when I have recollected all figures. I do not think I will meet with difficulties, except for that I do not remember all thrills. Must listen to the the recording once more.