Published Order of Difficulty for the Beethoven Sonatas

[steinwayguy]

I heard there was one in the Hans von Bulow editions. Does anyone have it or another commonly accepted list?

[Triton LE 76]

 
nope

[ptmidwest]

VERY subjective list, especially since different movements can be quite different in the tech as well as musical demands, but here's one list of about the easiest 20.  (not MY list)

This list came from from a teacher/performer in the old Russian school (which doesn't exist in this forum).

from easier to harder:

Opus 49, Nos. 1 & 2
Op. 79
2/1
14/1 & 2
10/1 & 2 & 3
13  (Path)
26
27/1
28
22
2/2
2/3
78
90
7

[6ft 4]

...and the last four(op.106,109,110,111) are all physically impossible as far as i can see

[pianojems]

Op 110 is really not that diffucult and inside the Shirmer edition of Beethoven Sonatatas (which I know is not the favored edition) in the foreword has the list af ALL sonatas in progressive difficulty...I find it quite accurate. Would you be interested for me to dig it up and write down the oreder? let me know 

[steinwayguy]

I bought the Schirmer Edition a year ago and I don't see any order in it, so if you could type it up I would be very grateful!

[pianojems]

I have a really old Shirmer sonata book it is also volume 1
here is the order they list from easiest to hardest.
They are also divided into three grades of difficulty

First grade
Op. 49 No.2, 1
Op.79
Op. 14 (both)
Op. 2 No 1

second grade
Op. 10 No 1
Op.13
Op. 10 No 3
Op. 10 No 2
Op. 28
Op. 2 No 3
Op. 26
Op. 31 No 3
Op. 22
Op. 7

third grade
Op. 27 No 2
Op. 27 No 1
Op. 31 No2
Op. 2 No 2
Op. 54
Op. 78
Op. 90
Op. 81
Op. 31 No. 1
Op.53
Op. 57
Op. 101
Op. 111
Op. 110
Op. 109
Op. 106

phew. I hope this helps

[BoliverAllmon]

I have a really old Shirmer sonata book it is also volume 1
here is the order they list from easiest to hardest.
They are also divided into three grades of difficulty

First grade
Op. 49 No.2, 1
Op.79
Op. 14 (both)
Op. 2 No 1

second grade
Op. 10 No 1
Op.13
Op. 10 No 3
Op. 10 No 2
Op. 28
Op. 2 No 3
Op. 26
Op. 31 No 3
Op. 22
Op. 7

third grade
Op. 27 No 2
Op. 27 No 1
Op. 31 No2
Op. 2 No 2
Op. 54
Op. 78
Op. 90
Op. 81
Op. 31 No. 1
Op.53
Op. 57
Op. 101
Op. 111
Op. 110
Op. 109
Op. 106

phew. I hope this helps

I am glad that I am learning a sonata in the second grade. graduated from the easier stuff. Still have along way to go until I reach the third grade though.

[pianojems]

yeah remember that this does not mean that you play in grades 1 2 or3 kust beethoven sonata stages/grades. Even 1st grade is difficult except the first two

[steinwayguy]

I have a really old Shirmer sonata book it is also volume 1
here is the order they list from easiest to hardest.
They are also divided into three grades of difficulty

First grade
Op. 49 No.2, 1
Op.79
Op. 14 (both)
Op. 2 No 1

second grade
Op. 10 No 1
Op.13
Op. 10 No 3
Op. 10 No 2
Op. 28
Op. 2 No 3
Op. 26
Op. 31 No 3
Op. 22
Op. 7

third grade
Op. 27 No 2
Op. 27 No 1
Op. 31 No2
Op. 2 No 2
Op. 54
Op. 78
Op. 90
Op. 81
Op. 31 No. 1
Op.53
Op. 57
Op. 101
Op. 111
Op. 110
Op. 109
Op. 106

phew. I hope this helps

Thanks, but uh, the only things I agree with are the op. 49 being the easiest, op. 79 being the second easiest and Hammerklavier being the hardest. Other than that, terrible system!

[BoliverAllmon]

as long as you don't put the pastoral right there with the g maj one, I am ecstatic.

boliver

[steinwayguy]

Alright here goes:

Op. 49 No. 1, 2
Op. 79
Op. 14 No. 1, 2
Op. 10 No. 2
Op. 2 No. 1
Op. 13
Op. 27 No. 2
Op. 10 No. 1
Op. 78
Op. 10 No. 3
Op. 28
Op. 31 No. 3
Op. 26
Op. 22
Op. 2 No. 2
Op. 90
Op. 31 No. 2
Op. 27 No. 1
Op. 31 No. 1
Op. 90
Op. 2 No. 3
Op. 110
Op. 57
Op. 7
Op. 53
Op. 81a
Op. 111
Op. 109
Op. 101
Op. 106


There's my list.

[Selim]

I think op79 is harder than op14N°1, and op10N°1 is easier than 10N°2, and both (op10N°1,2 ) are easier than sonate au "Clair de Lune"

[steinwayguy]

I think op79 is harder than op14N°1, and op10N°1 is easier than 10N°2, and both (op10N°1,2 ) are easier than sonate au "Clair de Lune"

Well you just named all the sonatas whose technical difficulties I am not familiar 

[Barbosa-piano]

 I have a very old book from 1919 published by Ricordi, revised by Alfredo Casella, that has a very good preface and both the chronologic order table and the difficulty table.

He organized the difficulty this way:

First Grade: (Easy)
Sonatas Op. 49, n.1 and 2.
Sonatina Op. 79
Sonatas Op. 14, n. 1 and 2.
Sonata Op. 2 n.1

Second Grade: (Medium)
Sonatas Op. 10, n. 1 and 3
Sonata Op. 22
Sonata Op. 7
Sonata Op. 2 n.3
Sonata Op. 13 (Pathetique)
Sonata Op. 10, n. 2
Sonata Op. 28 (Pastorale)
Sonata Op. 26 (Marcia Funebre)
Sonata Op. 2, n. 2
Sonata Op. 27, n. 1 (quasi una fantasia)
Sonata Op. 27, n. 2 (Au clair de lune)

Third Grade: (Difficult)
Sonatas Op. 31, n. 1 , 2 and 3
Sonata Op. 54
Sonata Op. 90
Sonata Op. 78
Sonata Op. 53 (Aurore)
Sonata Op. 81 (L'adieu)

Fourth Grade: (Superior- Transcedental)
Sonata Op. 57 (Apassionata)
Sonata Op. 101
Sonata Op. 109
Sonata Op. 110
Sonata Op. 111
Sonata Op. 106 (Hammerklavier)

This might be slightly different from other editions, but it is about the same rating.
 
Best wishes,
Mario Barbosa   

[Selim]

Well you just named all the sonatas whose technical difficulties I am not familiar 

Why did you put them in your list then?

[steinwayguy]

Why did you put them in your list then?

I figured I had a good guess as to how difficult they were. I'm very confident I know about how difficult like 25 of them are.

[nanabush]

Hmmm Vivacisimamente, interesting, the only other piece I've ever seen this word on is Chemin de Fer by Alkan, which is the fastest piece I have ever heard in my life.  It's well over four eighth notes a second, and has all sixteenth notes in right hand, and is very long.  So the beethoven sonata, i think 81a or soemthing, that has this marking, is it that fast?!?

[paris]

Alright here goes:

Op. 49 No. 1, 2
Op. 79
Op. 14 No. 1, 2
Op. 10 No. 2
Op. 2 No. 1
Op. 13
Op. 27 No. 2
Op. 10 No. 1
Op. 78
Op. 10 No. 3
Op. 28
Op. 31 No. 3
Op. 26
Op. 22
Op. 2 No. 2
Op. 90
Op. 31 No. 2
Op. 27 No. 1
Op. 31 No. 1
Op. 90
Op. 2 No. 3
Op. 110
Op. 57
Op. 7
Op. 53
Op. 81a
Op. 111
Op. 109
Op. 101
Op. 106

i agree steinwayguy, with almost all sonatas. 
but i was quite szrprised with barbosa's ranking, specially 'medium' part

Second Grade: (Medium)
Sonatas Op. 10, n. 1 and 3
Sonata Op. 22
Sonata Op. 7
Sonata Op. 2 n.3
Sonata Op. 13 (Pathetique)
Sonata Op. 10, n. 2
Sonata Op. 28 (Pastorale)
Sonata Op. 26 (Marcia Funebre)
Sonata Op. 2, n. 2
Sonata Op. 27, n. 1 (quasi una fantasia)
Sonata Op. 27, n. 2 (Au clair de lune)

man, you must be kidding...moonlight harder then op.7?  only thing in moonlight which is difficult is 3rd movement!  op.7 has very demanding 1st movement, as well as 3rd trio and 4th! and it's way longer then moonlight!
pathetique harder then op.7? hm...maybe for someone, but i still think it isn't.   also Pastorale is much harder then moonlight!

that moonlight is a bit overrated, don't you think? 

[Selim]

You put the 31N°2 harder than clair de lune....I think that 27 N°2 is harder than the tempest...

[Barbosa-piano]

i agree steinwayguy, with almost all sonatas.
but i was quite szrprised with barbosa's ranking, specially 'medium' part
man, you must be kidding...moonlight harder then op.7? only thing in moonlight which is difficult is 3rd movement! op.7 has very demanding 1st movement, as well as 3rd trio and 4th! and it's way longer then moonlight!
pathetique harder then op.7? hm...maybe for someone, but i still think it isn't. also Pastorale is much harder then moonlight!

that moonlight is a bit overrated, don't you think?

I believe that Alfredo Casella meant that the Sonatas in that Grade are all about the same difficulty, which I don't think is quite correct, and I agree with you, Op. 7 is harder than Moonlight. But since the Moonlight Sonata is largely overrated (I must agree with you), I might be wrong... I will look for more difficulty tables on the Sonatas, and compare with this one. I didn't realize this until you pointed out...
Thank you

Sincerely,
Mario Barbosa

[j.s. bach the 534th]

Sorry for bringing back such an old topic, but I am very surprised by all these lists. In all of them, the Moonlight Sonata is put with quite a few sonatas behind it, but for me, the Moonlight Sonata is the easiest (except for op. 49)

[qoppa]

Not a published list, but here's the rankings according to Bernhard.

Don't be sorry! These things are highly subjective anyway, and you are right: Op. 101 is pretty tough as well. At this level the whole thing is about discussing which would cause the worst burn: molten lead or molten silver.

Here is my list of the 32 in order of difficulty. I would be curious to see other people's:

1. Op. 49 no. 2
2. Op. 49 no. 1
3. Op. 79
4. Op. 14 no. 2
5. Op. 14 no. 1
6. Op. 2 no. 1
7. Op. 10 no. 1
8. Op. 10 no. 2
9. Op. 2. no. 2
10. Op. 2 no. 3
11. Op. 10 no. 3
12. Op. 13 (Pathetique)
13. Op. 22
14. Op. 28 (Pastorale)
15. Op. 7
16. Op. 78
17. Op. 26
18. Op. 31 no. 3
19. Op. 31 no. 1
20. Op. 90
21. Op. 27 no. 1
22. Op. 27 no. 2 (Moonlight)
23. Op. 54
24. Op. 31 no. 2 (Tempest)
25. Op. 53 (Waldstein)
26. Op. 81 (Les Adieux)
27. Op. 57 (Appasionata)
28. Op. 101
29. Op. 110
30. Op. 109
31. Op. 111
32. Op. 106 (Hammerklavier)

This is the order I would suggest to someone wishing to learn all of them. Both musical and technical difficulty are considered, and I am also having in mind playing them as close to perfection as possible (hence the Moonlight being placed so higher in thelist - the much hackneyed first movement is very difficult to pull off).

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[feddera]

Am I the only one who thinks op2.1 is much harder than op10.1?

[thierry13]

Am I the only one who thinks op2.1 is much harder than op10.1?

No you're not.

The ratings given above are total BS.

[j.s. bach the 534th]

Am I the only one who thinks op2.1 is much harder than op10.1?

Am I the only one who thinks Moonlight is easier than most of the stuff underneath it?

[berman]

op. 7 is the next longest Piano sonata by beethoven, and both barenboim and brendel said it was, after the last four and apassionata, the hardest.