Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Karolina Grabowska
The nickname Moonlight Sonata traces to the 1830s, when German Romantic poet Ludwig Rellstab published a review in which he likened the first movement of the piece to a boat floating in the moonlight on Switzerland's Lake Lucerne.
10 important steps to learn jazz: Listen to recordings of the greats. Develop your instrumental technique. Transcribe solos. Learn jazz standards....
Read More »
At a glance... Read the whole score. Listen to the whole piece. Play through the entire piece slowly. Divide the piece. Use various techniques for...
Read More »Moonlight Sonata, byname of Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2: Sonata quasi una fantasia, solo piano work by Ludwig van Beethoven, admired particularly for its mysterious, gently arpeggiated, and seemingly improvised first movement. The piece was completed in 1801, published the following year, and premiered by the composer himself, whose hearing was still adequate but already deteriorating at the time. The nickname Moonlight Sonata traces to the 1830s, when German Romantic poet Ludwig Rellstab published a review in which he likened the first movement of the piece to a boat floating in the moonlight on Switzerland’s Lake Lucerne. Beethoven dedicated the work to Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, a 16-year-old aristocrat who was his student for a short time. The Moonlight Sonata was structurally and stylistically remarkable in its day. Most sonatas of the late 17th and early 18th centuries consisted of a reasonably animated, thematically well-defined first movement, a more-subdued second movement, and a vibrant final movement. The Moonlight, by contrast, offered a dreamy first movement, a somewhat more lively second movement, and a final movement that was outright tempestuous. Such was the furor of the Moonlight’s finale that several of the piano strings snapped and became entangled in the hammers during the work’s premiere. Indeed, in the declining years of his hearing, Beethoven was known to play with a heavy hand, likely so that he could better hear the music. The overall style of the Moonlight Sonata was also innovative, as indicated by the subtitle Sonata quasi una fantasia (“Sonata in the manner of a fantasia”), which was appended to the work by the composer himself. The subtitle reminds listeners that the piece, although technically a sonata, is suggestive of a free-flowing, improvised fantasia. Indeed, arpeggios—playing of the notes of a chord sequentially, which remains a common improvisational device in the 21st century—permeate all three movements of the Moonlight Sonata and ultimately generate the themes and motifs that form the foundation of the work.
Ada (Holly Hunter) has been mute by choice since the age of six. She communicates either by using a primitive form of sign language her daughter...
Read More »
Jumping sports demand athleticism and accuracy from both horse and rider, with difficulty rising with the fence height and course complexity. There...
Read More »Both hands have been split in the recording to facilitate one-hand-at-a-time practice. The Moonlight Sonata is a Level 8 piece.
The Moonlight Sonata, First Movement, otherwise known as Sonata in C# Minor Op.27, No. 2, has been a cherished part of piano repertoire for over 200 years. It is a piece that every pianist should learn at some point in their music studies. Its beautiful chord progression and melody shows Beethoven at his finest. This SuperScore version will help with learning what is otherwise a tricky piece to read. Find included with the interactive SuperScore edition, interesting comments about the work, information about the composer, as well as practice tips for learning and performing the work. The score features a MIDI performance by Andrew Harbridge. Both hands have been split in the recording to facilitate one-hand-at-a-time practice. The Moonlight Sonata is a Level 8 piece.
There are 12 major scales and 12 natural minor scales that can be played on a standard 88-key piano. Each major and minor scale has its own unique...
Read More »
One of Yamaha's Elton John Limited Edition Signature Red pianos has just sold for $150,000. This was at the Julien's Auctions Music Icons sale...
Read More »
To reduce scratchiness in switches, it is possible that the switches may need an initial break in period of 2 weeks – several months depending on...
Read More »
The 1st note (in this case C) is called the root, after that you count steps away, starting with C - making the 3rd E. G is then 5 steps away from...
Read More »
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion