Piano Forum

Piano Board => Student's Corner => Topic started by: mattm on June 21, 2005, 11:04:08 PM

Title: technical question on moonlight sonata 1st movement
Post by: mattm on June 21, 2005, 11:04:08 PM
so i've begun to try and learn the first movement and i'm curious as to the notes in bar 6.  The triplets in the left hand, the score says to sharp the b's, which would make them c's, but then the key signature indicates to sharp all c's.  so do i play c (b#) or c#?  thanks.
Title: Re: technical question on moonlight sonata 1st movement
Post by: llamaman on June 21, 2005, 11:17:52 PM
Hmm...I do not think that the B# would become C#. If Beethoven had wanted that, a double sharp would probably have been used, or a C. The note that is sharpened (B) is still B, and therefore would not be sharpened again to a C#.
Title: Re: technical question on moonlight sonata 1st movement
Post by: xvimbi on June 21, 2005, 11:19:30 PM
Generally, you just sharp the B and play B# (i.e. C), not C# (which would be B##). Otherwise, it would not be possible at all to play a C(natural) in a piece that has the C's sharped according to the key signature, because any C would be automatically sharped ;)

By the way, it is best to think of a B# as a B#, not as a C (likewise in other situations where enharmonics come into play).
Title: Re: technical question on moonlight sonata 1st movement
Post by: mattm on June 22, 2005, 12:07:05 AM
Thanks for the replies.   :).  It's clear now.
Title: Re: technical question on moonlight sonata 1st movement
Post by: 6ft 4 on June 22, 2005, 12:07:41 PM
the triplets aren't in the left hand?!?
Title: Re: technical question on moonlight sonata 1st movement
Post by: mattm on June 22, 2005, 05:32:13 PM
the score i am using has triplets in the left hand from measures 6 - 22.  Apparently the version I am working with is a somewhat condensed version and is only 2 pages long.
 :)