Beethovens Appassionata

[kelly1995]

Does anyone have any experience with the ending of this Sonata  where the presto starts. I am using the edition edited by Arthur Schnabel.  The tempo calls for half note equals 104.  There are several instances where you must twist your fourth finger over your fifth and then sub the third finger for the fifth on the way back down. The  16TH notes would be this pattern going up " C F Ab C  Db using the fingers 1 2 3 5 4 and then the notes going down are C Bb Ab Bb Ab G F using the fingers 3 2 1 4 3 2 1. I can play this quite well up to half note equals 90, but when I try to bring this passage up to tempo there is a distinct weakness in this passage at the top, the legato gets choppy and the forte gets uneven.

 My teacher things im looking for something that im not ready for. My hands are still very small and he thinks I should leave the tempo where it is and just wait another two years until im 14 and the problem will take care of itself.

I was just wondering if anyone could suggest some other fingering , or any specail exercises where the fourth finger must twist over the fifth.

Thanks, Kelly

[ryanyee]

well! to be honest, i WAS able to play it when i was grade 7.  but the part which you said, i think the 4th finger should be 5434545 and repeat until the next one.

[gerry]

For what it's worth, the Craxton/Tovey edition cites in its charmingly wordy manner "Bulow's excellent if unorhodox fingering 1243432 14321342 brings this theme at all tone-values within the grasp of a small hand, and ensures an accent on the second beat rangiing from the normal clearness needed in pp to the powerful sf indicated by Beethoven in forte developments. The fingering 12345, etc., is not so difficult as it is found to be by players who will not carry their hand, but insist on leaving the thumb in its note. In any casse it is well to bring the thumb on to the A flat at the beginning of the second bar."

[zheer]

 My teacher things im looking for something that im not ready for. My hands are still very small and he thinks I should leave the tempo where it is and just wait another two years until im 14 and the problem will take care of itself.

   Your teacher is smart, you could learn Rachmaninoff prelude in C minor Op23 No7 prior to the Beethoven Sonata.

[quantum]

My fingering:

C F Ab C  Db C Bb Ab Bb Ab G F G Ab F
1 2 3   1  3   1  3  2   3   2   1 2 3 4   2


It's merits are a more open hand, allowing for easier finger articulation.  Cons are it requires more tonal control over individual notes, especially the thumb.