Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata 14 (Moonlight)
in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2

The soothingly beautiful sadness of Beethoven’s most beloved piano sonata can almost place a listener into a state of hypnosis.

ID: 26
Ludwig van Beethoven - Sonatas:

Sonata 14 (Moonlight)
Op. 27 No. 2

Key: C-sharp Minor
Year: 1801
Level: 8+
Period: Classical
piano sheet music Piano score: PS Urtext Download
piano sheet music Piano score: Ruthardt edition Download
piano sheet music Piano score: facsimile of first edition Download
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piano music mp3 recording Sonata 14 (Moonlight) Op. 27 No. 2 - FREE SAMPLE (mp3 file)

Hypnotic calm before the storm

The "Moonlight" Sonata is one of Beethoven's most popular piano works, especially the haunting first movement with its sad melody played against the familiar ostinato triplet rhythm. It's the kind of soothingly beautiful but sad movement that can almost place a listener into a state of hypnosis. To create this hypnotic beauty, the pianist needs to excercise great control of the three different layers of music: bass line, triplet accompaniment, and melody. Less well known but indeed well worth exploring is the comparatively cheerful second movement - a Scherzo and trio in D-flat major, fairly straightforward but with interesting syncopated rhythms. Liszt called this movement "a flower beetween abysses". In the stormy third movement Presto, the broken chord triplets of the first movement are transformed into violently erupting arpeggios, covering three octaves. This dramatic composition, with typical Beethovenian sharp accents, presents substantial technical difficulties.

Background

The Piano Sonata op. 27 no. 2 in C-sharp minor has been better known as the Moonlight Sonata ever since Ludwig Rellstab, a German critic and poet, likened it to moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne. The sonata was completed in 1801 and dedicated to the Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, a pupil of Beethoven, in 1802.

Practice & Performance Tips:

Beethoven instructs the performer to depress the sustain pedal for the entire duration of the first movement. ("Si deve suonare tutto questo pezzo delicatissimamente e senza sordino"). On most modern instruments, however, the effect will probably be too blurred if there are no pedal changes at all. But if that other main instruction is followed - to play softly and delicately throughout - it becomes possible to experiment a bit with the right pedal to achieve the sort of half-blurring that Beethoven was after.

The next two movements are more difficult, but don’t hesitate to try the second movement Allegretto if you are an intermediate player, as it is a beautiful piece of music as well as an excellent exercise in articulation, rhythm, balance and control of touch.

The last movement is really only for the most advanced pianists. The piece is like an erupting volcano, and it’s quite a feat to keep these continual explosions under control. However, focusing on the steadiness of the left hand part will help you to stay on top of... Sign up for a Gold membership to read the practice tips.


Forum posts about this piece:

Fractional (half) pedalling on an upright piano by sebbysteiny
All I watched a fascinating video about one of my favourite pieces that I learnt to play decades ago, suggesting I was playing it all wrong...

Struggling to find my next work by rolvetheprotogen
I'm mostly self taught, and just can't seem to find another work to pursue. So far under my belt I have Moonlight Sonata first movem...

Moonlight Sonata - how to learn by joshua1849
I've always wanted to learn this extraordinary sonata and have finally decided to pick it up - it is certainly possible for me to learn ...

Inter-practice pieces by bradderz
I am currently completing my grade 7 (ABRSM) in roughly two weeks. I have been practicing consistently 5-10 hours a day, which some consider...

What piece do you guys suggest? by pianoguy2009
Hi, I am a pianist who just passed grade 6(with distinction)ABRSM and I’m about to start grade 8(yes, I skipped grade 7) and I’m looking...

Is this plan feasible? by henk de potvis
My (advanced) repertoire is the third movement of the moonlight sonata, and fantasie impromptu. I finished Fantasie impromptu in a month aft...

What level of repertoire should I really be playing? by doubleconcerto
Recently I have come to the realization that I might need to seriously reconsider how I learn piano if I want to continue making progress wh...

What Pieces are Similar in Difficulty to Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement? by droprenstein
I am mostly self-taught. I recently finished learning the Moonlight sonata 3rd movement, it took me a few weeks to be able to play it by mem...

Moonlight Sonata is overrated. Or is it just me?... by leigh anne
Is it just me or is Moonlight Sonata really overrated? No offense to those moonlight sonata fans, I think Moonlight Sonata is a nice piece b...

Am I skilled enough to play Appassionata 3rd movement? by classicalstudent1
I have learned piano for about 5 years. Some of the harder pieces I can play are moonlight sonata 3rd mov and chopin's revolutionary etu...

Great crowdpleaser pieces with substance? by youngpianist
Hello. Can you suggest some pieces that are great crowdpleasers, but are not just empty displays of virtuosity? I'd like to add some goo...

Next piano piece by pius02
Hi! I am from Germany and playing since 7 Years and i would say I’m an advanced Player, but i can definitely improve. In recent years ...

Can mechanical attributes of the instrument affect playing? by uv147
as the title says, can the mechanical attributes of the instrument being played affect playing? for example, are there pianos that are easi...

Does anyone else feel the Moonlight Sonata is kind of overrated? by youngpianist
I have played this piece in the past but I have to get something off my chest. Isn't this piece kind of overrated? It's kind of be...

Moonlight Mvt. 2 difficulty by mmateas
Hi there! First of all, I just want to clarify the fact that I almost finished studying the piece I'm writing about. I'm just cur...

Favourite piece(s) of all time? by lelle
As the title says - what is your favourite piece or pieces of all time? I was thinking today about what some of my favourite pieces are, and...

Learning Sheet music by teelo17
I'm not new to instruments, I have played saxophone, Trumbone, Flute, Drums and Guitar for most of my childhood, I am now 17 and have j...

Trilling a double sharp in Beethoven's 3rd Moonlight by tunneller
Hi, on bar 32 of the 3rd movement of Beethoven's Moonlight, there is an octave of F double-sharp with a trill on it. I figure thumb and...

Deconstruction of Moonlight Sonata by mmatisoff
I am trying to deconstruct Beethoven's Opus 27, No. 2 so that I can see how the harmony influences the melody. For example, in Bar 1, t...

IWTL How to improve piano technique by umiedotre9
So I have a limited piano background; took a semester class in uni followed by a year of private lessons. Now I’m just playing on my own, ...


Member's recordings of piece:

VIDEO: Beethoven Moonlight Sonata 3rd Mvt, but it's Still Dre by williamhu
Hi, title says it all :) Left hand arpeggios anyone? www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XanC-K3C3E...

Moonlight Sonata 1st Mvt by meuphonia
My favourite piece of classical music. youtu.be/ZQij10m-_0Q...

L.v. Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 ("Moonlight") - I. Adagio by hl782
A quick take of the 1st movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Given its name, I don't think of the piece as an overly drawn ou...

Downloadable piano sheet music from Sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven to print: Sonata 14 (Moonlight) Op. 27 No. 2 in C-sharp Minor (published in 1801)
Sonata 14 (Moonlight) Op. 27 No. 2 in C-sharp Minor, a composition by the classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The piano score of this piece was first published in 1801 and is part of Sonatas by Beethoven.