The third movement of Beethovens Sonata is the piece I am currently tackling. I have already learned the 1st page and most of the second, does this piece get much more difficult to play other than these two pages?
Thanks, Joe.

Hi Joe,

I removed your duplicate post in the Audition Room, as this topic is better suited for this forum. Actually, it's better suited for the Repertoire forum, but eh...we're here now.

Regarding the 3rd movement - I once practiced it too but was not satisfied with my playing and gave up on it. If I remember correctly, all pages are mostly similar, but what's hard is keeping up the intensity all the way through. I still like the piece a lot, though. Maybe someday I'll go back to it. Good luck!

btw - we have several recordings right here on our site. http://pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=105

The Tempest Sonata is one of my favorite Sonatas! It was written in a time in Beethoven's life when he was almost going to give up, and his inevitable deafness sent him into the depths of despair. This piece was written just after the famous Heiligenstadt Testament, and clearly marked a new beginning in his life and outlook - The Middle Period! As in the 5th Symphony, he was fascinated with the 3 short notes, followed by the long note rhythmic motif. This 3rd movement is a product of that fascination with the same rhythmic motif. However, remember that it is 3:8 time, so don't make 2 triplets out of the 3 short notes. Many recordings play it wrong in this regard.

Monica is right, the technical difficulty is the same throughout the piece. The difficulty lies in the dynamics, and expression - many crescendos and decrescendos. I found that the most difficult part of the movement lies in how you start off. If those first 3 notes don't flow naturally, with it's dynamic rise and fall, and with the correct rhythmic pulse, then the entire movement will sound awkward.

Good Luck!

That's right, and it's known as the 'fate' motif. Beethoven got a lot of good use out of it!

Thanks alot 88man.
Nice to have some background detail on a peice that you play! It is possibly my favourite movement of any sonata also!
I see! I am quite strong in the sense of dynamics, that's why i love to play many romantic songs.
Although this piece obviously isn't, it really does show how beethoven could have adapted through the times!
Also thankyou pianolady very helpful!
I shall proceed with this movement!
Joe.

Pianolady wrote:

Thanks for helping me out, Monica. I knew there was a term for the '3 short notes followed by a long note motif,' but couldn't think of it with the sinus headache I had this week. TGIF!

Joe, I forgot to mention last time that in order to play this movement musically well, you may have to look into nature for inspiration. From beginning to end, think of it as a ever-flowing large stream, with all kinds of small rock formations along the way causing turbulence, swerving and swirling currents. It's always surging and flowing ahead with its uninterrupted and pulsating rhythm. The dynamic contrast from p to f provide that contrast between the lyrical and turbulent sections of the river. The crescendos and diminuendos give a 3-D character to the flow.

Moreover, it is marked just Allegretto, so don't envision a violent gush of water like when the Amazon overflows, but rather a surging and driving river, as found in the scale of the Austrian high hills. Spring is coming and its the perfect opportunity to muddy your feet a little... You may just be lucky and find a stream like Beethoven's in your environs...

Good Luck on this marvelous sonata!

Oh, George - you are making me want to put this piece back on my piano again. But I do not have the time!

If a picture is worth a 1000 words, then here's a photo which shows the scale of the elements within the movement to which I am referring:
Palfauer Wasserlochklamm in the province of Styria in Austria: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreasres ... 0/sizes/o/

This is a start, but a static picture is no substitute for nature's own dynamics and music. You have to hear, touch, and experience it in person... For me, nature itself is one of the keys to understanding Beethoven's music. He may have been deaf, but he was not blind to the natural wonders that surrounded him. He found a higher 'order' in nature than the 'disorderly' life he lead as a person...

Pianolady wrote:
That's the story of our modern times... So much to do, see, go, hear, learn, dream, try, smell, touch, eat, drink, play,... yet so little time! I wonder sometimes if I was born in the wrong century?...

That's a pretty photo. I'm playing the Beethoven piece in my mind right now as I look at it. A good match, indeed! And now here is that feeling again like I want to get back to working on this piece. I recorded the second movement and gave up working on not only the third movement but also the first movement. Still, I really do love this Sonata too! Maybe someday...


I often say that to myself. People were more romantic back then. But I also think about medical/dental care in past centuries. Know what I mean? Zoinks!

... They sure were! With the possible exception of antibiotics, I could part with all the modern day possessions for a simpler time...

Thanks for all your help!
It's coming along nicely!
Joe.

Good! Maybe you will let us listen to it someday....