Studies for Beethoven's Moonlight

[chopinfan_22]

Eventually, I would like to tackle the third movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. However, before I do this, I would like to learn maybe three or four Czerny studies that would help with the technical problems found within the Sonata. My other alternative was Scarlatti. What pieces, either from Czerny's School of Velocity or Scarlatti's sonatas, would help me most with being able to play the last movement of Moonlight? I'd like some input. Thanks.

[m1469]

Okay, I went through them and this is what I have come up with.  I also looked through some other Czerny and found some studies to work up to other studies  ... he he.

Anyway, I don't own all of the Scarlatti Sonatas, but found some ones that address some similar issues.  I will try to look through some of his other sonatas and see if I can find anymore to add.



Related studies/pieces

Right Hand : -- Arpeggios

Czerny 
School of Velocity Op 299 # 3 
50 little studies, no 31
32 little studies, no 11


-- Other figurations

Scarlatti
Sonate in f# minor,    K 25 > L 481
Sonate in F Major,    K 82 > L 30 (also recommended for the LH)
Sonate in B Major,   K 545 > L 500

Czerny 
School of Velocity Op 299 # 11
50 little studies, no 3
32 little studies, no 31




Left Hand : -- Main figurations

Scarlatti  
Sonata in F   K 82 >  L 30
Sonata in F   K 483 > L 472


Czerny
School of Velocity Op 299 # 10
50 little studies, no 18
50 little studies, no 4



Hope this helps

m1469

[steve jones]

My main problem with this piece is seperating the melody from the accompanying arpeggios in the RH. My melody ends up sound like octaves!

Are any of those Czerny studies likely to help with this problem m1469?

[m1469]

Sorry to tell you Steve, but I am looking through the 3rd movement and so far I cannot figure out what exactly you are talking about.  Are you talking about the 3rd mov ?  (you are playing the 3rd mov, btw ??).

I would normally try to guess what a person might be meaning if I am not clear about it, but in this case I am not even sure how to guess because I could interpret your description a couple of different ways....  Could you be more specific ?

Thanks

m1469

[mcgillcomposer]

Why did you limit yourself to Scarlatti and Czerny?  The most difficult part of the third movement is not the arpeggios, but the melody when it returns in the left hand.  This requires extraordinary finger independence.  In my opinion, no exercises are better to develop this faculty than those of Dohnanyi.  Give it a try before knocking it...I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Good luck!

- Andrew

[chopinfan_22]

It's not that I'm only limiting myself to Scarlatti and Czerny, but those are the only two that I have access to.

[steve jones]

Sorry to tell you Steve, but I am looking through the 3rd movement and so far I cannot figure out what exactly you are talking about.  Are you talking about the 3rd mov ?  (you are playing the 3rd mov, btw ??).

I would normally try to guess what a person might be meaning if I am not clear about it, but in this case I am not even sure how to guess because I could interpret your description a couple of different ways....  Could you be more specific ?

Thanks

m1469

Haha, yeah sorry I just re-read the original post (properly this time!).

3rd Mvt is beyond my technical capabilities right now, so maybe in a couple of years I'll give it a blast. Its certainly on my list thats for sure.

I was actually speaking about the first mvt. I learnt this a few months ago, but could never bring the melody out enough in the RH. Been having the same issue with Chopin Prelude 9 - voicing the top notes on the chords by 'pointing' at it. I this works, but gives me trouble controlling the rest of the chord (ie, I usually sound the upper note just before the rest).

But this is all totally irrelevant to this thread, so I shall let you get on with the show 

[m1469]

Well, I suspected that you were talking about the 1st mov (and btw, it's not that I would have a problem with you playing the 3rd, I was just a little surprised).

Have you played Arietta from Grieg's Lyric pieces Op 12 ?   It is quite beatiful and addresses the problem similarly, also it's just a one pager.  There is also Mendelssohn's Songs without words, Op 19 no 1.  Longer than Arietta, but beautiful as well  .

There are of course some Czerny's exercises that I looked through, but they did not seem quite as pertinent as these two suggestions above.  See what you think anyway, and if I find/remember any others, I'll post those too.


m1469 

[steve jones]

Iv actually been doing a Mendelssohn Song from Op30 (No6 I think, the easy one). They are really nice pieces, so I will certain have a butchers at 19-1.

Thanks for the suggestion m1469!

[parag]

I recommend Stephen Heller's Op. 149 Sonatina.

Best,
Parag

[m1469]

.

[keyofc]

Hey Steve,
What I did to help me bring the melody out from the arpeggios is to play the melody line at first with two hands.  Play the arps in LH, the melody in RH, even though it's meant to be played with both.  I think it helped me to achieve the balance I needed to play it same way with both hands.
Hope this helps,
(Moonlite first movement)
keyofC

[steve jones]

That aint I bad idea actually, thanks!