Beethoven's moonlight sonata, third movement: Prrrresto

[liszt-essence]

I'm going to learn to play this piece.

I have a question regarding fingering in the very first bar of the piece.

I can stretch to an octave + 1. I could go up one more, but then I can only touch the very end of the keys and need some time to make such a stretch. I don't have very big hands. Rather small actually.

Now this is ofcourse an individuel preference. But my question to those of you who have mastered the piece and/or have approximatly the same hand size is: What kind of fingering do you prefer for the very first 4 notes of the right hand.

1, 2, 4, 5
or
1, 2, 3, 5

I am thinking of playing it with 3, 5 But im not totally sure. The fingers look better when playing with the fourth finger, but it feels much better when I play with the third. So before I get this imprinted in my memory. What are you suggestions please?

[pianistimo]

1235, 1235, 1245...

unless someone has a better fingering - that's what i'd do.  don't hold on to your thumb note.  i'd do a sort of sweep from each bottom not to the top.

[liszt-essence]

1235, 1235, 1245...

unless someone has a better fingering - that's what i'd do.  don't hold on to your thumb note.  i'd do a sort of sweep from each bottom not to the top.

Yes that's what seemed best to me as well. Thx.

[shortyshort]

Not sure if you have seen this?

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,16052.0.html

Shorty

[kelly_kelly]

1235, 1235, 1245...

unless someone has a better fingering - that's what i'd do.  don't hold on to your thumb note.  i'd do a sort of sweep from each bottom not to the top.

That's what I did (of course, I never finished it- only up to 144 bpm  , so my input might not be best)

[quantum]

1235.

Sometimes I use 1235 all the way through the arpeggio, even on the first inversion.  Use the finger that lies closest to the note when your hand is in position.  If that feels awkward or uneven, change to the other finger. 

[klick]

The fingers look better when playing with the fourth finger, but it feels much better when I play with the third.

Do what feels better, looks aren't very important most of the time. (Unless your looking for sex appeal or something I dunno) 

Klick

[zheer]

Do what feels better, looks aren't very important most of the time. (Unless your looking for sex appeal or something I dunno) 

Klick

  Well said. However i gess the text book way would be 1235, 1235, 1245 like pianistimo suggested.

[invictious]

1235 1235 1245 is the patter I also use here.

usually I just warm up by playing all of them in white keys slowly, then I blow the audience away with my skills.