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Wow, I had one of the biggest encouragments to my improvement on piano. I printed out the first page of the moonlight sonata, the first movement and it isn't as hard as I was expecting. I really enjoy the way it feels to play this piece. I didn't get to play very long, and only got about halfway through the first page. But it made me feel really good, because the last time I looked at moonlight sonata, I couldn't even play the right hand part by itself, and I pretty much sight-read the first 3.5 meaures, which I felt happy about.

it's not a beginner's piece, but a lot of beginners want to play this movement and only this movement of this sonata, and many couldn't make it sound good because although it looks simple on sheet, it requires some control, touch and some techniques that most beginners don't yet have to make it sound decent. the 1st page is easier, compared with the rest of the movement. you'd have a lot of work ahead.

when i first tried it (a couple of years ago), just sight reading through, i had a lot of trouble to play it. then last year, i officially tackled it, it felt much easier technically for me and i played it for my teacher and got it 'done'. i haven't played it for a while and will have to refresh it if i ever want to play it again. i'm learning the 2nd movement now, which is also a very short, difficult(more than 1st movement), but very interesting movement to play.

yes, I was wanting to ask my music professor if I had my pianismo dynamic right. I'm trying to touch the keys very lightly while still making a sound. Is this the right way to do pianismo.

i'm not sure 'light' touch a way to play it. it's kind 'weighted' and 'heavier' music in a sense, which means not to be played like playing a Mozart easy sonata. even if it's pianissimo, it's still not 'light' but soft and legato, i think.

Controlling a real pianissimo is difficult. For fast and pp a light touch is a reasonable way to way go, but for slower passages (like this one) it's probably better to think in terms of 'slowly but firmly' to get an even dynamic with no missed notes.

Best wishes,
Matthew

I am studying the Moonlight Sonata, and am getting really frustrated. One day I will play it through without any mistakes, and the next day,in will creep a mistake. I have been recording my playing, and am getting so it sounds pretty good--though far from perfect, but every once in a while I play a wrong note. I isolate that passage, work on it, and then when I have it down pat, a mistake creeps in on another passage. well, back to the piano for another go at it. Could be I am not concentrating as much as I should. Gaby Tu

I feel so sad that the 1st mvt is so overplayed that I am sick of it. It is a masterpiece and yet ruined by overplaying.

Why they rarely perform the 3rd mvt? If they are such good pianists they should perform it. But no, 1st mvt is used only for beginners unfortunately..

It is wonderful that you try to perform it. Of course it is more difficult than most people think, but you can manage.

ecm:

"Why they rarely perform the 3rd mvt?"

I agree. There are a couple of schools of thought on this. One is that a pianist should never start anything beyond his or her ability. The second is that they approach difficult works with a humble attitude geared toward identifying weaknesses in technique and addres those.

To use an extreme example given this case, the arpeggios at the end of Movement 3 are extremely difficult even for professionals. They provide ample opportunity to improve technique, and maybe even question previously learned technique. They may require learning of thumb-over, for example, instead of the thumb-under many of us were taught.

vanityx3:

Don't be scared off by this, but recognize that this is a difficult piece - even the first movement - and will provide ample opportunity to hone your skills.

vanityx3:

I’m with gerg ... don’t let anyone ruffle your learning the first movement of the Moonlight ... top motivator in the piano learning process is discovering an entrancing piece of music ... once found ... all the negative blurb on reported ‘difficulty’ by others should be regarded as “skeerdy cat” reaction ... a figment of the mind which slows progress ... nothing is difficult if the passion rages ... so many tame little mice blanch at thought of moving too fast.

Everybody learns to play the first movement of the Moonlight ... the confidence boost in mastering a few pages will prove electric to the exciting keyboard journey ahead.

Good luck with this lovely piece. Well done for progressing so that it is now within reach.

The first movement is perfectly playable and really repays concentration on pedalling and dynamics. Essential to get the tempo right too. Not too fast!

The whole sonata is strange in a way. The first movement is quite straightforward, and within reach of many players, but the Sonata as a whole is at ABRSM Diploma standard because of the much more difficult third movement. It is well worth perservering and learning the third movement as it provides a range of technical challenges and is very satisfying to play.