Moonlight sonata question

[goalevan]

1st movement, bars 5-6, and other times in the piece, why does the fingering change on the G# from finger 5 to 4 and 5 again? I know this edition is old - being from sheetmusic archive, is it still a good idea to use these fingerings?

here's a link to the file: https://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/btsn27_2.pdf

[thierry13]

If you speak from the measures that uses the third voice, the answer is yes. You use the fourth in the bottom voice of your RH , and then you have new notes in the third voice, so you use your 5 ... you need your fourth to continue the bottom voice anyway... so use the fingerings that are written!

[thierry13]

Scuse me but there is an exception ... the little third at the end of mesure 5 ... make what you have the most ease with ... but i suggest to keep a fourth there... and if you use the 3 , use it since the second fourth that's written.

[goalevan]

look at measure 10-11, it uses the fingering I would think would be easiest for anyone

[thierry13]

It's exactly the fingering i described first! So go for it!

[thierry13]

And if you are not a well experienced pianist and don't have a REAL good technique ... you will have to WORK and WORK to make something of the third movement, you must be able to thrill with 3-4 and same 4-5 and other things like that ... it is really a hard sonata (only for the third movement).

[goalevan]

just gonna do the first movement for now, and save the third movement for somewhere down the road.

[thierry13]

Since how many time do you play piano ?

[goalevan]

I've been playing for about 4 months

[thierry13]

ok but 4 months will be the time it will take you to make the third movement ... but keep it in mind in one year or 2 you'll surely be able with some work !!

[willcowskitz]

I wouldn't look at  the fingerings too much, they don't necessarily suit YOUR hands best. A lot of finger markings that I've seen in scores have been totally useless, and I always find ways to use my hands effectively anyway. Technique wouldn't evolve if everyone followed other people's fingerings.  

Only look at the fingerings if you can't find a way on your own.