What's the best Beethoven Sonata?

[thalberg]

Okay which one is the best and why.  Let's argue.

[mike_lang]

Depends on if you believe in the electoral college - if not, I think Moonlight wins the popular vote.  After all, what is ratified by a majority vote, regardless of mass ignorance, is objective truth.

[jlh]

Depends on if you believe in the electoral college - if not, I think Moonlight wins the popular vote.  After all, what is ratified by a majority vote, regardless of mass ignorance, is objective truth.

Popular opinion does not necessarily determine the electoral college choice.  We found that out several years ago... 

Incidentally, what would be the "electoral college" in this case?  Serious pianists?  People on Piano Street?

[jabbz]

I have so many favourites, I don't even think it's possible to pick the 'best' sonata. I would say op27 no.1 is one of the best, in that it's so revolutionary.

[Nightscape]

This thread is off to a bizarre start.

Most pianists will pick a sonata from op.101-111, the last five of them.

I think the best one is op. 106.  I like it because it completely sums up every facet of Beethoven's writing for the piano.  The third movement, when it was originally composed, explored certain emotional depths of music that had never before touched.

[amelialw]

op.110.

[etudes]

op.53,106,111

[counterpoint]

The best Sonata for me is op.31 no 3  (Eb major)  

Why? It's full of surprise, changing moods, humor. Not as "deutsch" as many others 

[prongated]

109 - so beautiful, that last movement
101 - beautiful
81a - beauti...

...what's the question again?

[goldentone]

I really think it comes down to a duel between opus 53 and 57.  For some reason I can't include any of the last five, even though they surpass the rest in certain ways, and are probably my favorites.  I think Beethoven's craftsmanship in opus 53 and 57 is amazing.  When I listen to them, I feel a strong sense of satisfaction, of completeness, as if the idea has been fully realized.  I think they embody unity.   

[opus57]

I won't say it, you have to guess...

Addditional Hint: Look at my nickname 

[amelialw]

Op.110.

For me, Op.2 sonatas because they were written for Haydnand my teacher said that Haydn's music comes to me more naturally

[opus57]

But shouldn't you "feel" it if Haydn comes to you more naturally? I hope so...

[amelialw]

yes I do feel it myself

[opus57]

I'm relieved to hear that. Then is everything ok 

[dnephi]

Mine are Opp. 53 and 57.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Objectively, I'd probably say op. 110 and op. 111, but I have a soft spot for op. 26 and op. 2 no 3 (the latter possibly because it was the first really "big" piece I learnt when I was young).

[rallestar]

The last 2 or 3 sonatas seem to reach deeper than all other works I know of, and seem to be on an entirely different level of philosophical, human and emotional depth.

As grand and wellconstructed as Waldstein and Appassionata may be, they fall short to those last sonatas.

[arensky]

For me,

Op.14 #1
Op.31#2
Op.101

[pianochick93]

For me, the Pathetique has always been my favourite, for so many reasons. I forget the opus number , all I know is that it has an 8 and a 13 in it, and even that may not be right.

[dnephi]

For me, the Pathetique has always been my favourite, for so many reasons. I forget the opus number , all I know is that it has an 8 and a 13 in it, and even that may not be right.

Sonata #8, it's Op. 13.

My favorites are Opp. 53, 81a, Op. 27 No. 2, and Op. 31 No. 3.

[rhapsody4]

Op.31 No.2
Op.53
Op.106
Ok, they are all popular, but with good reason.

[dnephi]

Op.31 No.2
Op.53
Op.106
Ok, they are all popular, but with good reason.

Let me know the last time you heard 106 performed live.



Daniel

[rhapsody4]

Let me know the last time you heard 106 performed live.



Daniel

My own sightreading. haha - good point, but that doesn't stop it being good! The Gilels CD of this is one of my favourite piano CD's ever.

[Petter]

Pathetique cause its never boring.

[thierry13]

Let me know the last time you heard 106 performed live.



Daniel

Van cliburn competition : Maria Mazo played that single piece for her first round(agaisnt other balanced and contrasting programs) ... and passed !

[dnephi]

Van cliburn competition : Mario Mazo played that single piece for her first round(agaisnt other balanced and contrasting programs) ... and passed !

And you were there?  I mean literally hearing it performed live. 

I saw Stephen Beus play it once, and all the pianists who were there said that they had never seen it done before and that I was extremely lucky.

[communist]

,

[thierry13]

And you were there?  I mean literally hearing it performed live. 

I saw Stephen Beus play it once, and all the pianists who were there said that they had never seen it done before and that I was extremely lucky.

Well the whole competition is on the cliburn site, so I listened to the whole thing in video streaming. It's not because people did not hear it often live that pianists are not capable of doing so. I think it is for the audience that people do not play it : most people would get bored with a nearly 20 minutes long slow movement with that much depth! Hammerklavier may be as hard as the Rach 3 to perform, I can't say it's not ... but how many times do you hear Rach 3? Kind of often... of course Hammerklavier as some more difficultys in the music, but nonetheless, I think many pianists could play it live, they simply don't.

[dnephi]

There's a difference between a live recording and seeing something performed live.

It's called "being there."

I've seen Rach 3 performed live twice.

[tds]

dont know about best, but my favorite's op. 109

[i heart xenakis]

Best?  Probably Op. 111

Favorite?  Op. 109

[jlh]

Best?  Probably Op. 111

Favorite?  Op. 109

Most difficult I've attempted?  Op. 111

I'm working on this sonata right now (actually auditioning with it in 2 days) and I find this to be incredibly difficult to perform.  I'm not talking about the loud fast sections either.  Those you can get working with some effective practice...  I'm talking especially about the second movement -- just to play the first few variations in an inspired way is so difficult.

I'm almost to the point where I think the fewer notes are on a page the more difficult it is to perform.  :/

[kelly_kelly]

I find op. 53 absolutely perfect. It's my all-time favorite sonata. But the best would probably be op. 111.

[andhow04]

OP 10 ^NO 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[concorde331]

Op. 14 no. 1 easily.

[mikey6]

op.49 by far!!

[dnephi]

op.49 by far!!

1 or 2?

[mikey6]

1 or 2?

I'd say second song.  Lots of cool melodies, not technically difficult and musically quite challenging.
oh and btw Beethoven is a better composer than Mozart!
ergh...Can't keep this up anymore!

[pies]

Barlow's variations on op 111

[aewanko]

The Waldstein sonata.

[communist]

nEveR MInD mY lASt PoST i ThiNK iTS oP 90

[concerto_love]

Op. 31 

[liordavid]

the E minor (forget opus number)

[nanabush]

Op 53
Op 78
Op 109

[point of grace]

mmmmh this post makes me think a lot because i cant choose one due to i dont know all of them... of course i know the ones i've played, listened to, and the 10 most popular ones, but that doesnt tell you those are the best... but i like op. 53 because i know it very well.

[prongated]

the E minor (forget opus number)

You mean op. 90? Nice...

[wow...how old is this thread? Who bumped it? ]

[synthex]

?

[nanabush]

Lol.

And I'm guessing Bach is superficial crap too?



What composers do you like then?

[eminemvsrach]

I only like the Waldstein.

I can't stand anything else he wrote.  Overrated claptrap.  Especially the symphonies.

I think the symphonies reveal his inner emotions. It's not claptrap......