Beethoven Moonlight Sonata Op. 27 no. 2

[johngoh]

Anyone has any suggestions on how fast one should play the 3rd movement of this piece? My teacher suggest Corchet = 192. . But its too fast for me. .

[pianistimo]

However fast your piano will let you play the last two notes of the ascending arpeggios?  Just an idea.  If you go too fast - then the piano doesn't sound the repeated notes and it sounds like garbage.  I think ascending one can gain momentum and speed and then descending - get slower slightly.  A steady tempo doesn't seem to work in this movement.  It is as if Beethoven is using a microscope on the first movement and showing exactly how magnetism works.  the minute increments of speeding up towards the magnetic source and getting stuck to it - or the inevitable pull away.

[zheer]

  Yes good point pianistmo.

 You know the speed is important, but equally important is the way you play each not in the opening of this MVT, it has to be electric, sharp not flat,don't laugh but you know how pop corn ,pop when heated, well each note of the arppegios have to be not accented but sparkling, its hard to explain and even more hard to do.  

[pianistimo]

Yes.  Unfortunately I never got the last movement on this one.  I've played the first a million times.  I love to hear the last movement played well, though.  Someday.  There's never enough hours in a day.

[quantum]

Interesting you mention about steady tempo, as when playing it I too find that it is difficult to find such a tempo that fits all sections of the movement. 

[johngoh]

I thought Classical pieces are supposed to be played in strict tempo? I think my teacher prefers me playing in strict tempo. She always makes me use a metronome.

[jehangircama]

I played this a couple of days ago for my ATCL. I played the first mvt much faster than is usually done, in abt 4:20- this is because of the masterclass I heard of Andras Schiff (he's given lecture-demonstrations on all the 32 sonatas on Guardian Online). The whole piece clocked 14:20 I think the 3rd mvt  was abt 7:25. this is abt the speed of the Ashkenazy rec I have. I don't agree with the fact that the tempo shld be rock steady- some rubatos are acceptable, imo. i think my speed for the 3rd was abt 152 or 160. I did do metronome work at first to get everything steady, and then did the rubatos as i deemed fit-it's important to know where exactly you're changing the tempo and not let the piece run away from you